Biological Determinants and Empathy

Dr. Robert Sapolsky has accomplished so much in his life and career, including winning the MacArthur “genius” grant and authoring several best-selling books. But as he puts it himself in his most recent book: “I’ve been very lucky in my life, something which I certainly did not earn.” This sentiment is consistent with his view that we lack free will entirely, and in today’s episode, Professor Sapolsky is going to make his argument to Hala as to why that is indeed the case.

Robert Sapolsky is a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, who is an expert in several fields ranging from stress to baboon behavior to human evolution. His work has received many awards including the esteemed MacArthur Fellowship. He is also the best-selling author of several books including Behave, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, and The Trouble with Testosterone. His newest book is called Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will.

In this episode, Hala and Robert will discuss:

- Why free will doesn’t exist

- The epiphany he had as a 14-year-old

- Is meritocracy an illusion?

- The neuroscience of decision-making

- The myth of grit

- What predetermination means for entrepreneurs

- Why Jeff Bezos was born to create Amazon

- Does spontaneity exist?

- How no free will impacts our morality

- The science behind moral disgust

- Why you can’t reason someone out of an opinion

- Why we should overhaul the criminal justice system

- And other topics…

Robert Sapolsky is a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and a research associate with the Institute of Primate Research at the National Museum of Kenya. Over the past thirty years, he has divided his time between the lab, where he studies how stress hormones can damage the brain, and in East Africa, where he studies the impact of chronic stress on the health of baboons. Sapolsky is the author of Behave, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, A Primate's Memoir, and The Trouble with Testosterone, and is a regular contributor to Discover. He has published articles about stress and health in magazines as diverse as Men's Health and The New Yorker. Sapolsky received the MacArthur Foundation's “genius” grant at age 30.

Resources Mentioned:

Robert’s Website: http://www.robertsapolskyrocks.com/

Robert’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsapolsky/

Robert’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Sapolsky/100063871383510/ 

Robert’s new book Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will (2023): https://www.amazon.com/Determined-Science-Life-without-Free/dp/B0BVNSX4CQ/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1699016118&refinements=p_27%3ARobert+Sapolsky&s=books&sr=1-1

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