How to Reach the Brain Through the Ears

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"Why must every generation of humans spend their entire lives learning what the last generation already do? Why can't we reach the brain through the ears?" "I think there are a few problems. The first is a language problem that the experience and the knowledge that we have is extremely rich, it's complex," he says. 'We pass air over our vocal cords and we wag our tongues and we vibrate the air and that vibrates a series of very small bones in the other person's ear'

Psychologist and writer Adam Mastroianni says our minds are like the keep of a castle protecting our deepest held values and beliefs from even the most skilled attacks. The only problem with this design for self-preservation is that it also can keep out wisdom that might be both useful and true. Mastroianni's summary of the problem is "you can't reach the brain through the ears." Listen as Mastroianni talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the implication of this view of mind for teaching, learning, and our daily interactions with the people around us.