We all have characteristics unique to ourselves, from our intelligence and sexual orientation to our height, weight and food preferences. Where do these traits come from? Are we genetically pre-programmed? What can we learn from studying twins? Why do they display so many similar characteristics even when raised apart? Beyond hereditary and experience, is there also something else in the mix that makes us who we are?  

Jonathan Bastian talks with Ross Gay, poet, essayist, and professor of English at Indiana University. Author of “The Book of Delights,” Gay’s latest collection of essays and poems is “Inciting Joy,” in which he ponders sources of joy, from caring for his father, to skateboarding, gardening, and playing pickup basketball.  “Joy is what emerges from our tending to one another through the difficulty, making it possible to survive the difficulty,’ says Gay.  “Joy emerges from that.”  Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook.

Jonathan Bastian talks with Carl Safina, naturalist, marine ecologist, and founding president of The Safina Center at Stony Brook University in New York, about the beauty and wonder of the natural world. Author of several books including “Beyond Words: What Animals Think And Feel” and, most recently, “Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace,” Safina explores the inner lives of animals and the role that culture and family play in the behavior of animals.  “Wolves are animals that, by nature, live in … family groups,” Safina notes. “They hunt together cooperatively, but what they hunt and how they hunt can differ a lot from region to region. And it can even differ a lot from family to family in the same place. For instance, in Yellowstone National Park, there's really only one wolf family there, which is very skilled at hunting bison.  “For most wolves, bison are just too big and too tough. So how are they skilled? They weren't born that way. They learned it from adults who learned how to do it and taught their young ones.” Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook.

Jonathan Bastian talks with Dr. Anna Lembke, director and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, about the role of dopamine in the brain. She also offers advice on keeping the pursuit of pleasure in check and maintaining balance and contentment, and discusses her New York Times bestseller “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.” “We're living in an adicto-genic world,” says Lembke. “In which almost all substances and human behaviors, even behaviors that we typically think of as healthy and adaptive, like reading, have become addicted, have become drug refined, in some way made more potent, more accessible, [and] the internet has absolutely exploded this phenomenon.”  Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook.

Clinical Psychologist Julia Rucklidge discusses the role of nutrition in treating and preventing mental health disorders. Author Michael Moss talks about how food is being designed to keep us wanting more.

Jonathan Bastian talks with Kieran Setiya, professor of philosophy at Massachusetts Institute of Technology about some best practices when it comes to coping with pain, loneliness, loss, and failure. Setiya’s latest book is Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way.  “Let's never stop acknowledging that life is hard, not in a bleak way, but I hope, in the end, a constructive way,” Setiya says. “ Try to approach the good life philosophically with attention to that, not some abstract theory” Delve deeper into life, philosophy, and what makes us human by joining the Life Examined discussion group on Facebook.

Alain de Botton, a philosopher, shares his thoughts on modern love and relationships. They discuss the evolving expectations in relationships, the influence of family systems, and the importance of open communication. The podcast also addresses the impact of modern culture on love and the rise of anxiety disorders in the modern era. The speakers explore the staggering statistics and misconceptions around anxiety, highlighting its role as a motivator. Lastly, they discuss the societal trend of eliminating all forms of pain and introduce the concept of embracing anxiety as a human feature.

Philosopher Will MacAskill argues that protecting the future of humanity is the moral priority of our time. Historian Tyrone McKinley Freeman explains philanthropy’s rich tradition within the African American community.

Psychiatrist Wesley Boyd talks about the challenges of accessing mental health care. Writer Charlotte Cowles describes her own experience seeking therapy for the first time.

Economist Russ Roberts discusses the challenges of using rationality when facing big life decisions. Entrepreneur Susannah Furr discusses navigating and thriving with uncertainty.