The Dissenter

Marina Dubova, an Omidyar postdoctoral fellow at the Santa Fe Institute studying cognitive mechanisms of discovery. She discusses discovery as cognitive processes like observation, analogy and modeling. They explore randomized vs theory-driven experimentation, concept-laden evidence, the role of cognitive and cultural diversity, and when complexity or parsimony best helps scientific progress.

Coleen Murphy, a Princeton molecular biologist and author of How We Age, discusses aging research and longevity science. She covers model organisms like the killifish, longevity pathways and interventions such as rapamycin and metformin. She talks about diet and fasting evidence, exercise and body composition, DNA repair and stem cells, the gut microbiome, transgenerational effects, and the current longevity biotech landscape.

Cristina Bicchieri, a University of Pennsylvania scholar of social norms and decision making, breaks down how expectations shape cooperation and behavior. She explains what makes norms stick or change. Conversation covers measuring norms, child marriage studies, group identity, the power of normative language, and norm-nudging strategies for social and climate action.

Patrick Foote, YouTuber and author who explores name and language origins, discusses how languages move and transform. He traces Latin into Romance tongues, the Bantu and Arabic spreads, and English’s colonial role. They touch on creoles, sign languages, Mandarin’s global rise, and playful ideas like emoji as a shared tongue.

Eleanor Scerri, Professor at the Max Planck Institute studying human palaeosystems and pan-African Homo sapiens origins. She discusses early Homo sapiens in Saudi Arabia and green corridors that enabled dispersals. She explores human presence in African rainforests and evidence from Anyama. She reveals unexpected Mesolithic seafaring to Malta and a major expansion of the human ecological niche around 70–50k years ago.

Alberto Acerbi, Associate Professor of Sociology and author of Tecnopanico, explores alarmist narratives about digital media. He discusses moral panics, why people are not as gullible online as claimed, misinformation’s limited reach, conspiracy theory dynamics, echo chamber myths, algorithms versus user choice, and the contested links between social media and youth mental health.

Victoria Dougherty, fiction writer of novels like The Bone Church and Cold, brings her theater and essay background to the conversation. She explores how and when adaptations should change source material. She talks about believable character development, plotting from impulse to plan, and weaving morality and politics into stories without turning characters into caricatures.

Jasmine Sherni, an adult content creator and model, shares her journey from nursing to the sex industry. She discusses reclaiming her sexual autonomy and the complex dynamics of being a South Asian performer in porn. Jasmine tackles societal stigma, the fetishization of cultural identities, and the importance of sex education over misinformation. With a focus on empowerment, she highlights how sex work can be a choice that fosters agency and creativity, while also addressing the hypocrisy in societal attitudes toward porn.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Sarah Dierna, a PhD candidate at the University of Catania, dives deep into the philosophy of antinatalism. She explores how metaphysics shapes ethics and examines the intrinsic suffering linked to consciousness. Dierna discusses the complexities of birth, the risks of parenthood, and critiques cultural acceptance of reproduction. The conversation touches on historical antinatalist themes from ancient Greece to modern thinkers, urging listeners to reassess the moral implications of bringing new life into a world rife with suffering.

Join health and science journalist Nicole Karlis, author of Your Brain on Altruism, as she explores the transformative power of altruism during crises. She critiques the self-care industrial complex, arguing that genuine connections are far more effective than consumerist approaches. Nicole discusses how community solidarity flourishes in times of need, and she highlights the psychological benefits of helping others. Additionally, she outlines the importance of systemic caring and the societal changes needed to support caregivers and strengthen communities.