In this episode, we examine the timeless question of “free will”: what constitutes it, what is meant by it, what ought to be meant by it, and, of course, whether we have it at all. We start with the neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky who begins to deflate the widely held intuition and assumption of “libertarian free will” by drawing out a mechanistic and determined description of the universe. We then hear from the philosopher who has long been Sam’s intellectual wrestling opponent on this subject, Daniel Dennett. Dennett and Sam spar about definitional and epistemological frameworks of what Dennett insists is “free will,” and what Sam contends could never be. The author and physicist Sean Carroll then engages Sam with more attempts to find a philosophically defensible notion of free will by leaning on the unknowable nature of the universe revealed by quantum mechanics. We then listen in on Sam’s engagement with the mathematician and author Judea Pearl who focuses on matters of causation to tease out a freedom of will. After a historical review of Princess Elizabeth’s famous exchanges with Rene Descartes, we hear from the biologist Jerry Coyne, who firmly agrees with Sam that a deterministic picture of reality leaves absolutely no room for anything like free will. We then hear from the curiously entertaining mind of comedian and producer Ricky Gervais who was thinking about free will while taking a bath when he decided to phone Sam. We conclude with Sam’s own response to concerns that an erasure of free will inevitably result in fatalism, loss of meaning, and passive defeat. Sam insists that the loss of free will actually pushes us in the opposite direction where we begin to see hatred and vengeance as incoherent and start to connect with a deeper and truer sense of genuine compassion.   About the Series Filmmaker Jay Shapiro has produced The Essential Sam Harris, a new series of audio documentaries exploring the major topics that Sam has focused on over the course of his career. Each episode weaves together original analysis, critical perspective, and novel thought experiments with some of the most compelling exchanges from the Making Sense archive. Whether you are new to a particular topic, or think you have your mind made up about it, we think you’ll find this series fascinating.

Lawrence Krauss talks with Ricky Gervais about the science of comedy, the comedy of religion, and the religion of free speech. They explore the intersection of science and philosophy, the impact of religion on belief and behavior, and the power of comedy in addressing sensitive topics. They also discuss the importance of freedom of speech, the influence of Christianity on the classical world, and the relationship between lying, comedy, and religion.

Comedian, actor, writer, producer Ricky Gervais feels strangely underwhelmed about being Conan O’Brien’s friend. Ricky sits down with Conan to discuss getting a laugh out of the worst of humanity, the upcoming season of his Netflix show After Life, and finding out his heroes are just regular people. Plus, Conan shares what he’s learned about tech in the days of quarantine. Got a question for Conan? Call our voicemail: (323) 451-2821.For Conan videos, tour dates and more visit TeamCoco.com. Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/conan.

His name is Ricky Gervais. He likes a crisp IPA, a ripe international spy thriller, and he also happens to care deeply about humanity. Welcome to another wild & crazy episode of SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

Ricky Gervais calls Sam to ask if AI will replace comedians. They also discuss the implications of not having free will and if a chimp has ever asked, "what does it all mean?" They agree that bears are dangerous. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

Ricky Gervais, a renowned comedian and actor known for his sharp wit, dives into the fascinating interplay of science and Christianity. He challenges the misconceptions that scientific discoveries invalidate religious beliefs, arguing instead that Christianity’s truths aren’t reliant on scientific validation. Gervais emphasizes that while we explore creation, the core of the Gospel and Christ's resurrection comes from direct revelation. His candid take on these topics sparks a thought-provoking discussion that contrasts humor with deep philosophical insights.

Comedian Ricky Gervais jokes about the Viking mentality on borders, highlighting their disregard for boundaries with a humorous twist.

Ricky Gervais, a comedian and writer, discusses the viability of space travel and the potential of Mars. They explore the challenges of settling on Mars, the possibility of creating an atmosphere through nuclear warheads, and express skepticism about space tourism.

Ricky Gervais jokes about the creation of Man, exploring human evolution, the significance of testicles and ending with a comedic advertisement for a Netflix show.

Ricky Gervais, known for his Netflix special 'Armageddon', jokes about weddings, exploring the emotions and societal expectations surrounding these events in a hilarious manner.