David Wallace-Wells discusses the impact of Covid on our information landscape, success of vaccines, global consensus on climate change, consequences of political stagnation, and best ways to tackle the candidacy of Donald Trump with Sam Harris.
Training the mind is a valuable investment, highlighted in philosophical and scientific discussions.
Intellectual collaborations, like Harris and Dennett's, foster growth and understanding in atheistic debates.
COVID-19 revealed media misinformation impacts, individual behavior effects, and societal health response challenges.
Pandemic experience tested global readiness, emphasizing the need for improved crisis management and preparation.
Deep dives
Philosophy's Role in Science and Clarity of Thought
Philosopher Dan Dennett's approach of viewing philosophy as a hand-maiden to science is discussed. Philosophy is seen as clarifying conceptual confusion and identifying errors to aid in understanding the world, especially in fields like biology and psychology.
Professional Relationships and Intellectual Interactions
Sam Harris reflects on his professional friendship and interactions with Dan Dennett, including their collaborations at conferences and discussions on various atheistic topics. Their relationship, primarily through email exchanges, exemplifies the value of intellectual interactions and support among colleagues.
COVID-19 Response and Media Landscape
The podcast delves into the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting contrasting views on vaccines and misinformation in the media landscape. The discussion includes the impact of individual behavior, societal response, and challenges in navigating public health recommendations and conspiracy theories.
Lessons from the Pandemic and Future Preparedness
Reflections on the pandemic response as a dress rehearsal for future crises are analyzed, questioning whether the experience enhanced or hindered our readiness for future challenges. The dialogue touches on the normalization of pandemics, societal adaptation, and potential implications for managing future global threats.
Impact of UN Report on Climate Politics
The 2018 UN report comparing 1.5 degrees and two degrees warming sparked global climate action. It led to movements like the Green New Deal, Extinction Rebellion, and climate strikes worldwide. Despite progress, we are still on track for significant warming, shaping future politics and economies.
Health Impact of Air Pollution
Air pollution, mostly from burning fossil fuels, causes millions of premature deaths annually. The effects are staggering, with life expectancy reduced significantly in heavily polluted areas like Delhi. Efforts to combat air pollution and decarbonize are crucial for public health.
Debate on Growth, Decarbonization, and Policy
Discussions on capitalism, degrowth, and climate solutions are complex. The push for green energy faces challenges in displacing fossil fuels economically. The role of government intervention, market forces, and balancing growth with environmental targets is crucial for tackling the climate crisis.
Sam Harris begins by remembering his friendship with Dan Dennett. He then speaks with David Wallace-Wells about the shattering of our information landscape. They discuss the false picture of reality produced during Covid, the success of the vaccines, how various countries fared during the pandemic, our preparation for a future pandemic, how we normalize danger and death, the current global consensus on climate change, the amount of warming we can expect, the consequence of a 2-degree Celsius warming, the effects of air pollution, global vs local considerations, Greta Thunberg and climate catastrophism, growth vs degrowth, market forces, carbon taxes, the consequences of political stagnation, the US national debt, the best way to attack the candidacy of Donald Trump, and other topics.
David Wallace-Wells is a best-selling science writer and essayist who focuses on climate change, technology, and the future of the planet and how we live on it. David has been a National Fellow with the New America Foundation, a columnist and deputy editor of the New York Magazine, and was previously at The Paris Review. Currently, David is a writer for The New York Times and a columnist for the New York Times Magazine. He is the author of The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming.
Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.
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