Episode 251: Neil deGrasse Tyson: Why Embracing Wonder is Critical For Personal Growth

Do you consider yourself to be curious enough?

In this episode of Habits and Hustle, Neil deGrasse Tyson and I explore the importance of retaining our childhood curiosity and how it plays a crucial role in our lives as adults. Neil shares his insights on nurturing curiosity and how fear of failure can hinder our progress in maintaining that innate sense of wonder.

During our conversation, Neil also shares his unique perspective on using pop culture in education, the future of AI, and the complexities of quantum physics and philosophy. As an astrophysicist, Neil brings a cosmic perspective to our discussion, offering wisdom and knowledge that will surely spark your curiosity and ignite your passion for learning.

Finally, we touch on the challenges and opportunities in transforming the school system, the role of religion, and even ponder hypothetical conversations with interesting historical figures. Don't miss this captivating episode with the one and only Neil deGrasse Tyson as we explore the universe and beyond together.

Neil deGrasse Tyson earned his BA in Physics from Harvard and his PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia. In 2001, Tyson was appointed by President Bush to serve on a twelve-member commission that studied the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. The final report was published in 2002 and contained recommendations (for Congress and for the major agencies of the government) that would promote a thriving future of transportation, space exploration, and national security.

What we discuss:

(0:00:01) - How important is it to retaining childhood curiosity and exploration in adulthood?

(0:13:08) - What role does pop culture have in education?

(0:17:09) - How Neil used Twitter to spark curiosity

(0:29:25) - What does Neil think of AI's Future and implicated ethics?

(0:38:50) - What do we know to be true in quantum physics and philosophy?

(0:54:19) - How can we transforming the school system?

(1:04:19) - A discussion about religion, gender, and continuums

(1:19:13) - Who would Neil like to have a conversation with if given the opportunity?

(1:27:36) - Why you should be Ashamed to die

Key Takeaways:

• Living forever comes with its own set of challenges, including resource conservation, terraforming Mars, and the lack of urgency in life. We explore the concept of 'escape velocity of aging,' where the number of years that passes equals the increase in the average life expectancy of civilization, and how it could lead to humanity living forever. However, living forever comes with a bigger existential problem. See, knowing our mortality gives us meaning to our lives and how living forever could potentially lead to a life with no meaning.

• Curiosity and exploration are important. However, most parents have a natural instinct to protect their child may prevent them from learning important lessons in life. Think of how a seemingly mundane event such as a child playing with an egg can become an entire conversation about the natural world, and how the cost of ignorance can be more expensive than the cost of education. 

• There are three categories of truth: personal truth, objective truth, and truth that is repeated. We acknowledge personal truths can invoke powerful emotions and even lead to armed conflict. Each one of these truths have their own characteristics that make it true in its own definition. 

To learn more about Neil:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neildegrassetyson/

Website: https://neildegrassetyson.com/

My links:

Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/

Instagram: @therealjencohen