

Angus Fletcher
Professor of story science and author of Primal Intelligence; brings a background in neuroscience, narrative theory, and experience working with Hollywood creatives and military special operations to discuss how humans plan and imagine under uncertainty.
Top 10 podcasts with Angus Fletcher
Ranked by the Snipd community

346 snips
Nov 3, 2025 • 1h 21min
Primal Intelligence (with Angus Fletcher)
Angus Fletcher, a Professor of story science and author, brings a unique perspective to intelligence, focusing on our ability to plan amid uncertainty. He discusses how narrative techniques from Shakespeare to military training enhance our adaptive thinking. Fletcher reveals the power of storytelling in cultivating 'primal intelligence' and explains how improvisation is essential for elite military operators. He also highlights how reading challenging literature rewires our brains, showing how creativity can solve real-world problems.

102 snips
Oct 2, 2025 • 1h 6min
PRIMAL INTELLIGENCE: You’re Smarter Than You Realize
Angus Fletcher, an English professor and narrative cognition researcher, shares insights from his book, Primal Intelligence. He discusses how humans excel in thinking through stories, contrasting it with machine logic. Fletcher reveals how narrative skills can improve decision-making and creativity, especially in high-pressure environments like the Army. He emphasizes the importance of intuition in recognizing exceptions and the role emotions play in guiding our plans. The conversation also tackles the value of storytelling in enhancing communication and managing anxiety in a tech-driven world.

53 snips
Aug 27, 2025 • 1h 38min
519 - Access Imagination and Intuition that Ai Can’t Touch with Angus Fletcher PhD
Angus Fletcher, an expert in story and neuroscience with a PhD from Yale, discusses accessing deeper levels of creativity through his concept of 'Primal Intelligence.' He emphasizes how human intuition and narrative thought can outshine AI’s capabilities. The conversation covers the challenges of storytelling, the importance of personal narratives, and critiques traditional education for stifling curiosity. Listeners are encouraged to engage in real-time exercises to enhance their creativity and embrace the complexities of art in an AI-driven world.

52 snips
Aug 4, 2025 • 53min
#414 Using Primal Intelligence to Overcome Anxiety with Angus Fletcher
Angus Fletcher, author of Primal Intelligence, trains Special Forces on turning chaos into advantage and educates kids on smart decision-making. He discusses the power of intuition and storytelling as tools for personal empowerment. Angus emphasizes the importance of covert victories for true satisfaction and urges listeners to embrace chaos instead of fearing it. He also reassesses masculinity and offers insights on the limitations of AI in relationships. With practical exercises, he aims to foster self-reliance and effective leadership.

41 snips
Aug 25, 2025 • 50min
Unlocking Your Primal Intelligence & The Tug-of-War Between Competition and Cooperation
Angus Fletcher, a professor of story science and U.S. Army Commendation Medal recipient, teams up with social scientist Jonathan Goodman to explore the fascinating concept of primal intelligence. They discuss how this innate ability can enhance problem-solving and creativity in modern life. Additionally, they delve into the intricate dynamics of competition versus cooperation, revealing our dual nature and how these instincts evolved. Listeners will gain insights into managing stress and the importance of balancing self-interest with altruism in social interactions.

33 snips
Nov 18, 2025 • 1h 50min
Logic, Creativity, and the Limits of AI: How Humans Think in Ways Machines Never Will
Angus Fletcher, a professor of story science at Ohio State's Project Narrative and author of Primal Intelligence, explores the unique realms of human cognition compared to machines. He argues that storytelling is fundamental to how we think and why traditional metrics of intelligence often miss the mark. Fletcher discusses the significance of emotional narratives in decision-making and how innovative strategies arise from imagination rather than data. He emphasizes that the greatest strengths of humans lie in our creative capabilities, as well as the ability to adapt and plan for the future.

14 snips
Jan 29, 2026 • 1h 25min
The Entropy of Intelligence Means That Systems Without Stories Collapse
Angus Fletcher, Project Narrative professor and author who trains imagination for elite decision-making. He reframes intelligence as adaptive imagination rather than optimization. Short takes cover training special operators to think counterfactually, building rapid replanning skills, emotion and narrative integration, science as tested storytelling, and how plural narratives sustain social stability.

10 snips
Aug 27, 2025 • 35min
"Primal Intelligence" with Angus Fletcher
Angus Fletcher, a Professor of Story Science at Ohio State University, delves into a groundbreaking view of intuition and imagination. He discusses using storytelling to revolutionize military training and enhance emotional intelligence in high-pressure situations. Fletcher also highlights the transformative power of gratitude for personal growth and mental performance. Additionally, he explores innovative youth development through summer camps and stresses the need for AI fluency in education to prepare future leaders.

Jan 27, 2026 • 1h 38min
Battlefield to Boardroom: Applying Boyd's OODA Loop with Storytelling | Angus Fletcher
Angus Fletcher, neuroscientist and author of Primal Intelligence, studies storytelling, creativity, and decision-making under uncertainty. He explains why the brain builds narratives to act faster than rivals. Topics include using stories to break opponents’ plans, future-backward planning, detecting exceptional information as intuition, Commander’s Intent as a story ending, and truthful narrative work in cognitive warfare.

Jan 29, 2026 • 42min
309: The Leadership Advantage AI Can’t Replace
Angus Fletcher, professor of story science and author of Primal Intelligence, studies how narrative thinking shapes decisions and intuition. He explores storytelling as a form of intelligence, why AI stumbles in changing environments, the three stories every business runs, and how surprise and alignment spark attention and innovation.


