Jon Mills, a philosopher and psychoanalyst, delves into the psychological roots of belief and modern spirituality. He discusses Freud’s legacy and the moral dilemmas of aggression, framed against contemporary societal issues. The conversation highlights how trauma affects generations and the rise of mental health concerns among youth, linking them to technology and social changes. Mills challenges traditional views of faith, emphasizing the importance of personal experiences in finding meaning and connection in an increasingly secular world.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
First Psychoanalyst Guest
Michael Shermer notes he hasn't had a psychoanalyst on his show before.
He asks Jon Mills about his background and how psychoanalysis has evolved.
insights INSIGHT
Psychoanalyst Practice
Jon Mills discusses his 30-year practice as a psychoanalyst, seeing both adolescents and adults.
He retired during the pandemic but still teaches and supervises.
insights INSIGHT
Efficacy of Psychotherapy
Michael Shermer questions the efficacy of psychotherapy due to the lack of control groups.
He ponders how to measure success when each individual and their experiences are unique.
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In this book, Steven Pinker presents a detailed argument that violence has significantly decreased over the course of human history. He uses extensive data and statistical analysis to demonstrate this decline in various domains, including military conflict, homicide, genocide, torture, and the treatment of children, homosexuals, animals, and racial and ethnic minorities. Pinker identifies four key human motivations – empathy, self-control, the moral sense, and reason – as the 'better angels' that have oriented humans away from violence and towards cooperation and altruism. He also discusses historical forces such as the rise of the state (which he terms 'Leviathan'), the spread of commerce, the growth of feminist values, and the expansion of cosmopolitanism, which have contributed to this decline in violence[1][4][5].
The end of your world
Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment
Adyashanti
In 'The End of Your World', Adyashanti explores the 'I got it/I lost it' phenomenon, where individuals experience fluctuations between 'nonabiding' awakening and the ultimate state of 'abiding' enlightenment. He discusses various pitfalls, such as the trap of meaninglessness, the ego's co-opting of realization, the illusion of superiority, and the danger of becoming 'drunk on emptiness'. The book offers practical advice and honest insights into maintaining an awakened state and navigating the complexities of spiritual life in a practical, everyday context.
Inventing God
Inventing God
Jon Mills
In this book, Jon Mills presents a provocative argument that God does not exist and cannot exist as anything but an idea. He contends that the concept of God is a manifestation of humanity’s denial and response to natural deprivation, serving as a self-relation to an internalized idealized object. Mills delves into the psychological motivations behind humanity’s need to invent a supreme being, highlighting the failure to accept impending death and the delusion of divine presence. As an alternative, he advocates for a secular spirituality that emphasizes the quality of lived experience, ethical self-consciousness, aesthetic and ecological sensibility, and authentic relationality toward self, other, and the world.
Freud, biologist of the mind
Freud, biologist of the mind
Beyond the Psychoanalytic Legend
Frank J. Sulloway
In this monumental intellectual biography, Frank J. Sulloway demonstrates that Freud's most creative inspirations derived significantly from biology. Sulloway analyzes the political aspects of the complex myth of Freud as a psychoanalytic hero and shows how Freud's theories were influenced by biological assumptions and ideas, particularly those of Charles Robert Darwin. The book exposes historical distortions and myths surrounding Freud's work, providing a new and comprehensive understanding of Freud and the origins of psychoanalysis.
Michael Shermer interviews Jon Mills, a psychoanalyst and philosopher, on a variety of topics, including the evolution of psychoanalysis, the dynamics of therapeutic relationships, and the psychological roots of aggression and trauma. Mills explains Freud’s lasting influence, the moral implications of aggression, and the role violence plays in society. The conversation also explores how trauma affects individuals and families across generations and the difficulty of understanding human behavior when faced with global challenges.
The discussion extends to broader issues such as individuality, the struggles faced by modern youth, and the evolution of belief in God. Shermer and Mills discuss how technology impacts mental health and the pursuit of spirituality without relying on traditional religion.
Jon Mills, PsyD, PhD, ABPP, is a philosopher, psychoanalyst, and clinical psychologist. His two latest books are Inventing God: Psychology of Belief and the Rise of Secular Spirituality, and End of the World: Civilization and its Fate.
The Michael Shermer Show 
