Life Examined

Geneticist Amander Clark and religion, culture, and gender studies professor Samira Mehta discuss how science and religion define when human life begins. Later, bioethicist and philosopher Nancy Jecker reflects on the moral, ethical, and practical challenges of defining personhood. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

British author Katherine May offers some (heart)warming advice on winter and explores simple ways to rediscover the joy of enchantment. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Win or lose — the art and nature of games have a deeper impact on our lives than we might imagine. What’s the appeal, and what do we learn about ourselves? Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Black writers and poets Quraysh Ali Lansana and Ishion Hutchinson share how their poetry is shaped by history, tradition, and the unearthing of forgotten histories. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Coach and author Brad Stulberg examines the science behind reaching our full potential, whether it be at work or in our personal lives. And shares his very personal story about getting diagnosed with OCD later in life. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Psychologist and author Dacher Keltner shares the science and mysteries surrounding awe, and suggests we make finding awe part of our daily lives. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, unlocks some of the secrets discovered via 80 years of research on happiness. Later, UCLA Professor of Marketing and Behavioral Decision Making Cassie Holmes reflects on how those who make the most of their time can be happie Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Renowned travel writer and author Pico Iyer reflects on how different cultures and peoples see life and death and find their own versions of happiness and paradise. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Traveler and author Rolf Potts shares his philosophy on meaningful travel and how embracing the unexpected can change us for the better.  Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Historian and author Rutger Bregman examines the science and the history behind human nature and argues that the human mind is wired to be good. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

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

Journalist and author Will Storr explains how status influences everything we do. Whether consciously or subconsciously, we all seek to be of value and feel accepted. Author Chuck Thompson says today’s status ideals have shifted; status is not reflected in the clothes you wear, but more about what you do for society.   Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Science journalist and author Lydia Denworth explains the value of friendship and what we can learn from primates about the value of social bonds. Author, public speaker, and podcast host Oscar Trimboli explains the science behind listening and provides tips on how we learn to listen well and pay attention. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Philosopher and writer Chloé Jones explains how recognizing and appreciating moments of beauty in the world around her helped her come to terms with her own body and self-perception. Professor Shailen M. Singh says society needs to embrace a more equitable, inclusive, and humanizing approach, especially towards children with disabilities. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.c...

Jonathan Bastian talks with Sharon Salzberg  educator, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society , and author of several best selling books including “ Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom ,” about her early life traveling to India and discovering meditation, and the “unparalleled” sense of learning she discovered while studying under S.N. Goenka and others. “I think ba...

Psychologist and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at King's College in London Francesca Happe talks about the progress in autism diagnosis especially in women and dispels some of the myths. Podcaster and writer Lauren Ober shares the story of her own later-in-life autism diagnosis. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

We all have characteristics unique to ourselves, from our intelligence and sexual orientation to our height, weight and food preferences. Where do these traits come from? Are we genetically pre-programmed? What can we learn from studying twins? Why do they display so many similar characteristics even when raised apart? Beyond hereditary and experience, is there also something else in the mix that...

Jonathan Bastian talks with Ross Gay , poet, essayist, and professor of English at Indiana University. Author of “ The Book of Delights ,” Gay’s latest collection of essays and poems is “ Inciting Joy ,” in which he ponders sources of joy, from caring for his father, to skateboarding, gardening, and playing pickup basketball.  “Joy is what emerges from our tending to one another through the diffic...

Jonathan Bastian talks with Carl Safina , naturalist, marine ecologist, and founding president of The Safina Center at Stony Brook University in New York , about the beauty and wonder of the natural world. Author of several books including “ Beyond Words: What Animals Think And Feel ” and, most recently, “ Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace ,” Safin...

Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. Anna Lembke , director and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic , about the role of dopamine in the brain. She also offers advice on keeping the pursuit of pleasure in check and maintaining balance and contentment, and discusses her New York Times bestseller “ Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence .” “We're living in an...

Clinical Psychologist Julia Rucklidge discusses the role of nutrition in treating and preventing mental health disorders. Author Michael Moss talks about how food is being designed to keep us wanting more. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Jonathan Bastian talks with Kieran Setiya , professor of philosophy at Massachusetts Institute of Technology about some best practices when it comes to coping with pain, loneliness, loss, and failure. Setiya’s latest book is Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way .  “Let's never stop acknowledging that life is hard, not in a bleak way, but I hope, in the end, a constructive way,” Se...

Philosopher Alain de Botton shares his thoughts on love and relationships. Psychologist Tracy Dennis-Tiwary explains why  anxiety is on the rise. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Philosopher Will MacAskill argues that protecting the future of humanity is the moral priority of our time. Historian Tyrone McKinley Freeman explains philanthropy’s rich tradition within the African American community. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Psychiatrist Wesley Boyd talks about the challenges of accessing mental health care. Writer Charlotte Cowles describes her own experience seeking therapy for the first time. Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe