Exploring the Complexity of Psychology and Mental Disorders

15min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

Delve into the history and current state of psychology, discussing the lack of progress in new drug targets for mental disorders. Explore the debate on categorical vs continuous disorders, neurodiversity, and the benefits of diverse cognitive processes. Reflect on negative experiences, depression, and societal influences on mental well-being.

In “Psych: The Story of the Human Mind,” Paul Bloom, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, lays out, in his words, “basically everything I know about the mind.” And when he says “everything,” he means it. Where does consciousness come from? Does IQ matter? What makes us happy? Was Sigmund Freud a madman? The answers to these questions (and more) are all in Paul’s book — and in this episode.

An edited version of Rufus’s interview with Paul first aired in April 2023. Today, we’re bringing you their entire conversation.

Check out Paul's newsletter here

THE NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB

We all know that reading is the best investment we can make in ourselves, but figuring out what to read — well, that’s another matter. Which is why we started the Next Big Idea Club. We get the best new books — as chosen by our friends Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Susan Cain, and Daniel Pink — into the hands of curious people … like you! Join us today at nextbigideaclub.com