Seize the Moment Podcast

On episode 153, we welcome Kennon Sheldon to discuss the free will and determinism debate, why free will is still possible when confronting the data, the different spheres of influence and how the mind can affect one’s bio-chemical composition and in turn be affected by it, self-determination theory and the significance of autonomy for well-being and mental health, Ken’s interpretation of the famous Libet experiment (which purportedly supports determinism), Alen’s weight loss and how applying free will helps us better understand his health journey, Leon’s Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder and its affect on his internal sense of freedom, the Rogerian model of therapy and its association with personal growth, intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation and the former’s increased ability to foster joy and sustained motivation, and why biological drives can’t fully explain human behavior. Kennon M. Sheldon is professor of psychology at the University of Missouri. He is one of the founding researchers of positive psychology, a fellow of the American Psychological Association, and a recipient of the Templeton Foundation Positive Psychology Prize. His research is in the areas of well-being, motivation, self-determination theory, personality, and positive psychology. His new book, available now, is called Freely Determined: What the New Psychology of the Self Teaches Us About How to Live. | Kennon M. Sheldon | ► Psychology Today | https://bit.ly/3BJruCN ► Freely Determined Book | https://amzn.to/3FZBF8Q Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666

On episode 152, we welcome David Myers to discuss the myth of a replication crisis in psychology research, what behavioral genetics research teaches us about the respective contributions of genes and early environments, the dual processing mind and how it differs from Freud’s understanding of the unconscious, the studies underlying implicit bias and effective ways to reduce it, narcissism as pure grandiosity rather than being a mask for self-loathing, the psychological mechanisms underlying political polarization, the biological roots of sexual attraction, why our fears (including our fear of dying) are often misaligned with reality and our ability to cope with difficult circumstances, and how embracing micro-friendships can influence short-term and long-term overall happiness. David G. Myers is a social psychologist and professor of psychology at Hope College. His articles have appeared in dozens of scientific periodicals and magazines, from Science to Scientific American. He is also the author of more than fifteen books, including psychology’s most widely read textbook, which has sold more than eight million copies worldwide, and general interest books including Intuition: Its Powers and Perils. His newest book, available now, is called How Do We Know Ourselves?: Curiosities and Marvels of the Human Mind. | David G. Myers | ► Website | https://davidmyers.org ► Blog |  https://t.co/I1D7qrTa1c ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/davidgmyers ► ‘How Do We Know Ourselves?’ Book | https://amzn.to/3heUnzN Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666

On episode 151, we welcome Rama Chellappa to discuss if we can trust Artificial Intelligence; the history of AI; how developments in AI have impacted social media, facial recognition, autonomous vehicles, and health; the problem of domain shifting when integrating health and lab data from various sources, which record data differently; AI racial bias in facial recognition technology; why AI recommender algorithms are not the only culprit in people subscribing to echo-chambers, which contribute to political polarization; our duty to utilize critical thinking to discern what’s true and what isn’t; the future of AI and the advancements that could be made in the fields of health and education; and why our relationship with AI should instill a sense of optimism about its future use. Use code HAI30 for 30% off Can We Trust AI? when you order from Hopkins Press. Order here: https://bit.ly/3tSZ6K6 Rama Chellappa, PhD (POTOMAC, MD), is a pioneering researcher and inventor in the fields of artificial intelligence, computer vision, and machine learning. A Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in electrical, computer, and biomedical engineering, he is also a member of the Johns Hopkins Center for Imaging Science, the Center for Language and Speech Processing, and the Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare. A Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the National Academy of Inventors, Dr. Chellappa holds eight patents. He is the recipient of IEEE’s 2020 Jack S. Kilby Signal Processing Award and the 2012 K. S. Fu Prize fromthe International Association of Pattern Recognition. His work has been featured by the Associated Press, the BBC, and The New Yorker. His new book, available now, is called Can We Trust AI?  | Rama Chellappa | ► Website | https://aiem.jhu.edu ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/rama.chellappa.3 ► Can We Trust AI? Book | https://bit.ly/3tSZ6K6 Use code HAI30 for 30% off Can We Trust AI? when you order from Hopkins Press. Order here: https://bit.ly/3tSZ6K6 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666  

On episode 150, we welcome Dr. Mikkael Sekeres to discuss the social and political climate that fostered the necessity to create the FDA, medical charlatans and the history of pseudo-medicine, the necessity of clinical trials for creating safe and effective medications, why anecdotal evidence isn’t equivalent to scientific validation, the FDA’s decision to remove the breast cancer indication for the drug Avastin and Genentech’s decision to fight it, Mikkael’s personal experience during that hearing while a member of the jury, the public’s distrust of the FDA and where it stems from, Genentech spin-doctoring data to make their case for the safety and efficacy of Avastin, why mostly harmful medications should be removed from circulation if proven so, and how the FDA decides on which drugs to approve and which ones to recommend removing. Dr. Mikkael A. Sekeres is Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and former Chair of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA. He is the author or co-author of over 400 manuscripts and 650 abstracts published in leading journals such as NEJM, Blood, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Nature Genetics, Cancer Cell, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Journal of Clinical Investigation, PLoS One, and Leukemia. A regular contributor to the Well section of the New York Times, has authored 8 books, including When Blood Breaks Down: Life Lessons from Leukemia and his newest book, available now, is called Drugs and the FDA: Safety, Efficacy, and the Public’s Trust. | Mikkael Sekeres | ► Website | https://bit.ly/3UetF8h ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/MikkaelSekeres ► Drugs and the FDA Book | https://amzn.to/3Df18IA Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666

On episode 149, we welcome Michael Shermer to discuss why people believe in conspiracy theories; focusing on the evolutionary perspective: better to be safe than sorry, the proxy: that they’re symbols to, or natural inferences from, more fundamental beliefs, the tribal: they further unite us with our communities; how they’re maintained through cognitive biases; Leon’s past conspiratorial mindset and his beliefs about global conspiracies; real conspiracies and why they’re more likely to be caused by few people and have a narrow goal/effect; 2Pac’s murder and why we struggle with accepting that celebrities can be killed randomly; the real conspiracy that fostered World War I; how to effectively talk to conspiracy theorists; the difficulty of debunking theories that explain every major political event with one fundamental cause; and why and how wars and international conflicts are reduced over time. Michael Shermer is a science writer, historian of science, founder of The Skeptics Society, and Editor in Chief of its magazine Skeptic, which is largely devoted to investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, The Moral Arc, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist. He’s the host of the largely popular podcast, The Michael Shermer Show, and his newest book, out on October 25, 2022 is called Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational.  | Michael Shermer | ► Podcast | https://www.skeptic.com/michael-shermer-show ► Website | https://michaelshermer.com ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/michaelshermer ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/michaelshermer1 ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Michael.Brant.Shermer ► Books | https://amzn.to/3MZ9qJh Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666

On episode 148, we welcome Andy Moffatt to discuss the evolution of hip hop, Andy’s interview with Treach of Naughty by Nature and his close relationship with 2Pac, interviewing Wendy Day and how she facilitated Eminem’s deal with Dr. Dre when he was close to quitting making music, interviewing Swifty McVay of D12 and his experiences on the road with the group, the NHS and how chronic underfunding of it by the British Government sparked protests in the UK, the differences between healthcare in the US and UK, branding in the social media age and the ability to move past industry gatekeepers to control your own narrative, and why British citizens became disenchanted with politics in general. Andy is the host of the Heart of an Outlaw show where he interviews entertainers in the hip-hop music industry. He’s also a musical journalist writing for HipHop24, having interviewed Treach, Swifty Mcvay,Mopreme Shakur and Angie Thomas.  Andy Moffat | ► Website | https://hiphopxxiv.com/podcast/ ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/AndyO4l ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/andyo4l ► https://www.instagram.com/heartofanoutlawshow ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/AndyO4l ► https://twitter.com/hoaoshow ► Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HeartOfAnOutlawShow Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666

On episode 147, we welcome Julie Bogart to discuss how to teach children critical thinking skills, the myside bias and why all of us are susceptible to poor reasoning, Julie’s decision to home-school her children and the drawbacks of the US education system, how digital life is altering our brains and our children's’ ability to read closely and deeply, the character traits of critical thinkers, how encounters with new and/or uncomfortable situations is the most potent way we can cultivate critical thinking skills,  how to develop concentration and the capacity for deep learning,  Leon’s difficulty with school and his decision to drop out of high school, the positive effects of video games on cognitive skills, why authoritarian parenting doesn’t work and the importance of teaching kids how to draw their own conclusions instead, and why teaching ought to be more engaging for optimal efficacy. Julie Bogart is the creator of the award-winning, innovative Brave Writer program, teaching writing and language arts to thousands of families every year as well as The Homeschool Alliance, a coaching and mentoring program for home educators. She homeschooled her five now grown children for seventeen years and is the founder of Brave Learner Home, which supports homeschooling parents through coaching and teaching. She has also taught as an adjunct professor of theology at Xavier University. She’s the host of the popular, “A Brave Writer's Life in Brief Podcast.” Julie Bogart is the author of The Brave Learner and her newest book is called Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parent's Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital Age. Julie Bogart | ► Website | https://bravewriter.com ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/juliebravewriter ► A Brave Writer's Life in Brief | https://bravewriter.com/program/broadcasts ► Raising Critical Thinkers Book Link | https://raisingcriticalthinkers.com Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666  

On episode 146, we welcome Massimo Pigliucci to discuss the value of teaching ethics, human nature and the evolutionary origins of morality, the drawbacks of moral relativism, Socrates as the first psychotherapist, whether politicians should be taught philosophy or philosophers should become politicians, the importance of role models and good friends for cultivating virtue, seeking out inspiring scenarios, Socrates’ degree of success in tutoring the morally bankrupt Alcibiades in moral philosophy, the is/ought gap in philosophy and why it doesn’t preclude the creation of a universal system of ethics, Leon’s relationship with Prof. Tim Stroup and why mentorship always involves the desire to learn from an expert who genuinely cares about his pupil’s development, and our collective responsibilities in creating a flourishing society through political activities. Massimo Pigliucci is an author, blogger, podcaster, as well as the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. His academic work is in evolutionary biology, philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophy. He has been published in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and Salon, among others. His books include How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life and Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk. His newest book, coming out on September 27, 2022 is called The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders. Massimo Pugliucci | ► Website | https://massimopigliucci.org ► The Quest for Character Book Link | https://amzn.to/3r5TACp Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666

On episode 145, we welcome former U.S. army officer and paratrooper Gus Lee to discuss the significance of cultivating moral courage, why it’s distinct from physical bravery, anger being a mask for fear and weakness rather than a strength, the practical steps to becoming courageous, the negative, life outcomes to persistent selfish tendencies, what Aristotle and Plato can teach us about the good life, becoming self-governing, why anger is actually a form of fear and how to overcome it, and true courageousness being the desire to conquer your fears in the service of others. Gus Lee, bestselling author of Courage: The Backbone of Leadership and China Boy, is a nationally recognized leadership and character advancement expert who has worked in or consulted to 50 professions and industries. A former corporate chief operating officer, chief learning officer, government senior executive, West Point’s first Chair of Character Development, U.S. Senate ethics investigator, acting deputy attorney general, supervising deputy district attorney, university assistant dean, U.S. Army officer and paratrooper, he trains and coaches through his company, Leaders of Character, LLC, and writes at guslee.net. His newest book, available now, is called The Courage Playbook: Five Steps to Overcome Your Fears and Become Your Best Self.  Gus Lee | ► Website | https://www.guslee.net/about/ ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/gus.lee.3 ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/gus-lee-0a989612 ► The Courage Playbook Link | https://amzn.to/3AZY8yE Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666

On episode 144, we welcome Andrew Scull to discuss the history of psychiatry and the competing perspectives of the origins of mental illness, the chemical imbalance myth and the various genetic and environmental aspects of depression, why mental health is better classified along dimensional lines rather than boxed into categories, the pharmaceutical industry’s decision to curtail further research into mental illness, the myth of the mentally ill brain, the limits of genetic and neuroscientific research into emotional disorders, the stigma attached to the biological view of psychiatry, the bio-psycho-social model of mental health being the best explanatory model available, and Andrew’s take on the future of psychiatry and psychedelic-assisted therapy. Andrew Scull is an award-winning author, sociologist, historian of psychiatry, and distinguished Professor of Sociology and Science Studies. He taught at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton before going to the University of California San Diego. He won the Roy Porter Medal for lifetime contribution to the history of medicine and the Eric Carlson award for lifetime contributions to the history of psychiatry. His books include Museums of Madness, Decarceration, Madhouses, Mad-Doctors, and Madmen, Social Order/Mental Disorder, and many more. His latest book, Desperate Remedies tells the story of psychiatry in the United States from the 19th-century asylum to 21st-century psychopharmacology. Andrew Scull | ► Psychology Today | https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/andrew-scull-phd ► Desperate Remedies Book Link | https://amzn.to/3wWzrSK Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666