Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content

Ask Me Anything #12

May 25, 2018

Dive into thought-provoking discussions on the distinction between consuming ideas and independent thought. Unpack the consequences of false beliefs and the role of meditation in personal growth. Sam Harris addresses criticisms of social justice and tribalism and shares insights on atheism in the medical field. He also explores capitalism's challenges and psychoanalysis versus psychotherapy. Enjoy a lighthearted glimpse into his lowbrow pleasures, from UFC to gaming, while contemplating consciousness and the balance between thinking and being.

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INSIGHT

Rapidly Adopt Valid Corrections

Sam Harris quickly accepts corrections when an argument exposes an overlooked assumption.
He values changing views immediately rather than defending errors for pride.

ANECDOTE

Counterfactual Wake-Up Call

Sam recounts Neil Ferguson challenging his implicit counterfactual about Clinton vs. Trump.
The question made him realize he hadn't considered whether Clinton would have been better overall.

ANECDOTE

A Clearer Lens On Islamic Movements

Sam describes Maajid Nawaz differentiating jihadists, Islamists, and conservative Muslims.
That distinction immediately changed how Sam wrote and spoke about Islam.

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What have been intellectually honest and fair criticisms of your views?

What is the most consequential false belief you've ever held, and how did you shake it?

What is the distinction between merely consuming the ideas of others and thinking things through on one’s own?

I’m concerned that I’m only hearing half the argument with respect to the views of “social justice warriors.” Will you bring someone on the podcast who can defend this position?

You once wrote a fascinating article titled “Adventures in the Land of Illness.” Do you still think that complaining about one’s physical suffering is a bad habit?

What problems do you see with capitalism?

What are your views on psychoanalysis?

What do you think about the claim that “everyone engages in tribalism”?

I’m a heart surgeon and an atheist. My patients often ask me to pray with them. How should I respond?

What are your opinions of Alan Watts?

Will you publish the audio from your upcoming events with Jordan Peterson?

Will you get someone from the Southern Poverty Law Center on the podcast to talk about why they’ve taken a position against you, Maajid Nawaz, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali?

What is the most low-brow thing you do on a regular basis?

Jordan Peterson has claimed that the New Atheists haven’t grappled with Jung, Dostoyevsky, and Nietzsche. How do you respond?

What is your view of the “Intellectual Dark Web,” and are you happy to be a part of it?

When will your meditation app be released?

What social justice activism do you support?

Will you invite someone on the podcast who can speak about “universal basic income”?

Do you believe that you are overly sensitive to criticism?

If free will can be an illusion, why can’t consciousness be one as well?

What do you think about the (eastern) concept of enlightenment?

How do you negotiate between the urge to know—to think about things continuously—and the urge to just be?

How do you meditate with tinnitus?

What are your thoughts on Terrence McKenna’s “stoned ape theory” regarding the origins of human language?