The relevance of the humanities to our intellectual lives has never been more pressing. I think what we're suffering from now are the outsized influence of many smart people who don't have much of an education in the humanities and haven't read enough good books. "Rationality, obviously, suggests a larger footprint than lab-coded science," he says.
According to neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris, rationality is the key to safeguarding everything we cherish, and its only true enemy is dogmatic inflexibility. Harris speaks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the views that have made Harris famous, teasing out the often mind-blowing subtleties of his religious and cultural critiques. They discuss what Harris has learned as a podcaster and author, and how ecstasy launched his spiritual journey. Finally, they move on to the power of meditation, exploring the way it can lead to self-transcendence and real connection with others.