Life Examined

Jonathan Bastian talks with Mark Epstein , psychiatrist, psychologist, and author of “ The Zen Of Therapy: Uncovering a Hidden Kindness in Life ,” about the role of Buddhism in his practice of psychotherapy. Modern psychotherapy, he says, has stepped into the void left by the abandonment of religious rituals.  Epstein shares stories and anecdotes about his patients, illustrating the links between...

Minimalism is enjoying a resurgence, but can a minimalistic lifestyle and aesthetic bring peace and calm? Does having less stuff bring happiness? Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with philosopher Alain de Botton about gaining a better understanding of love and relationships. Author of “ Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person ,” “ How Proust Can Change Your Life ,”and founder of The School of Life , de Botton shares his recipe for love, fulfillment, and what dating apps get wrong when it comes to finding the ideal partner. Get full access to Life Examine...

Remembering the life and legacy of Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Zen master, poet, and influential peace activist. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Carl Erik Fisher and journalist Shayla Martin reflect on the history and meaning of addiction and the challenges for people of color seeking recovery in AA. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. Jonathan Reisman about his passion for adventure and fascination with the human body chronicled in his book  “ The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of the Human Anatomy .” Going beneath the skin, from blood and urine to the liver and kidneys, Reisman shares his unique perspective with the human body and the natural world. Get full access to...

As we enter the new year, is this an opportunity to embrace some new ideas and gain a better understanding of who we are and the world around us? Jonathan Bastian talks to Buddhist scholar Pico Iyer about the prospects for optimism and what author Graham Greene has taught him about human frailty and vulnerability. And Vedanta nun Pravrajika Vrajaprana shares wisdom and hope from the writings of Sw...

Amidst the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, two years of fighting the coronavirus has produced transformative advances in medicine, science, and the practice of healthcare. Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. David Agus about the future of medicine and with Dr. Daniela Lamas about advanced care planning and insight into end of life care.  Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack....

On this week’s Life Examined, psychologist and co-author of “Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life” and “The Compassionate Instinct”  Dacher Keltner  talks about the science of awe and why we need a daily dose. We also talk with cultural psychologist Dr.  Yuria Celidwen  about how the practices of Indigenous communities enhance prosocial behavior, and how the appreciation of awe also h...

Jonathan Bastian talks with Josh Cohen, a psychoanalyst and professor of modern literary theory at Goldsmiths, about the cultivation of healthy aimlessness. Cohen’s recent book, “ Not Working: Why We Have to Stop ,” explores why doing nothing and seeking solitude — whether at home or at work — can provide balance needed for a healthy life. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack....

The season of giving upon us — but what are the best, and most impactful, ways to bestow your generosity? Jonathan Bastian talks with professor Roland Geyer about the best types of sustainable and environmentally friendly holiday gifts, and with Luke Freeman, director of charitable community “ Giving What We Can ,” about the most effective ways of giving.   Get full access to Life Examined at life...

Jonathan Bastian talks with psychologist Paul Bloom about the role that hardship and pain play in living a good life. Bloom, author of  “ The Sweet Spot ,” explores why — from running a marathon to eating spicy food — suffering helps us to thrive and gives us satisfaction. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Despite increasing attention to equity, diversity, and inclusivity, the pay gap for women has not shifted much over the last 15 years. According to one study of the median hourly earnings for full and part time workers in 2020, women earned 84% of what men earned. Jonathan Bastian talks with NPR host and author Stacey Vanek Smith about empowering women in the workplace and how Machiavelli’s “ The...

Jonathan Bastian talks with Susan Orlean about our love and relationship with animals. Orlean, staff writer for the New Yorker and acclaimed author of several books, discusses her latest collection of essays, “ On Animals ,” in which she explores her fascination and curiosity with all creatures, both feathered and four legged, and asks what our interaction with animals tells us about ourselves.  G...

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with ethnobotanist Dr. Cassandra Quave about the amazing medicinal potential of plants and her global search for natural compounds — long known to traditional healers — that could help save us from the looming crisis of untreatable superbugs. We also hear from Dr. Marion Nestle, New York University professor emeritus of nutrition, food studies, and public health, on the...

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with David Whyte about the power of the written and spoken word. Whyte, a poet, philosopher, and speaker, discusses his latest collection of poems, “ Still Possible ,” in which he continues to explore vulnerability, relationships, and “the conversational nature of reality.” Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

On this week’s Life Examined, how health organizations and employers are recognizing that workplace burnout is a real and growing problem. In 2019 the World Health Organization officially identified workplace burnout as an “ occupational phenomenon .” Today burnout is reaching epidemic proportions and many employees say the pandemic has made the problem worse. Host Jonathan Bastian talks with burn...

On this week’s Life Examined, host Jonathan Bastian talks with avid outdoor enthusiast Jaqueline L. Scott about how she fell in love with nature and birdwatching, and her efforts to make the outdoors a more welcoming and inviting space for Black people. We also hear from Yale environmental professor and historian Dorceta Taylor about the evolution of the environmental movement and how grassroots o...

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with J.M. Thompson about how running has been a personal voyage of discovery and healing from severe depression. Thompson, a clinical psychologist, is author of “ Running Is a Kind of Dreaming: A Memoir ,” in which he explores childhood trauma, suicide, and the powerful medicine of ultra running. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

This holiday season, as we finally enjoy the ability to gather in person, the question on many people’s minds is how to respond when a family member says they’re not vaccinated. Do we exclude our friends when they refuse to trust vaccines? How hard is it to change someone’s point of view? And what role does courage play when it comes to stepping up and doing the right thing?  Host Jonathan Bastian...

On this week’s Life Examined, we explore why rationality matters amidst a time of mass misinformation.  Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Steven Pinker, Harvard psychologist and author of “ Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters ” about our ability to sort fact from fiction. We also hear from evolutionary biologist David Sloan Wilson about how the human species is evolving to...

At a time of disconnection and distraction in the world, have we forgotten the importance of listening? Most of us are not shy about sharing our stories or voicing our opinions. But we spend much less time truly taking in what someone else says. How can asking Having better listening skills would help us build better relationships with our friends, families, and coworkers. And asking  thoughtful q...

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett about our collective fascination with dreams and how COVID dreams have changed over the last year. Later, we hear from Dr. Rafael Pelayo, author of  “ How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping Through the Night ,” about the science of sleep and why getting a good night’s sleep has become so difficult. Get full a...

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Meghan O'Gieblyn , author of “ God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning ” about how advanced AI technologies are changing how we think about ourselves and our faith. Later, writer Linda Kinstler talks about the influential role of the tech sector on faith. And Dr. Beth Singler from the University of Cambridge in the U.K. discuse...

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with cognitive scientist and philosopher Alison Gopnik about the minds of babies and children. What makes babies such avid learners, and can parents help shape who they will become? Gopnik explains that the evolutionary long human childhood results in years full of exploration and learning. On the other end of the spectrum, neuroscientist, musician, and author of “ Su...