Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content

Sam Harris speaks with Rory Stewart about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, nation building failures, cultural ignorance, catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the influence of Islam, conspiracy theories, the impact of social media, the war in Ukraine, the age of populism, Trump and NATO, Brexit, current state of politics, and GiveDirectly.

Debunking myths about Israel and the Gaza conflict, discussing ethical and political arguments surrounding Israel's actions, exploring the challenges and cultural mindset behind suicide bombings, examining the role of religious beliefs in motivating violence and intolerance, highlighting the widespread support for Hamas and the atrocities of October 7, emphasizing the importance of understanding intentions and actions in the conflict.

Sam Harris speaks with Jonathan Rauch and Josh Szeps about the foundations of knowledge, the state of mainstream media, the impact of COVID on information landscape, Trump and Trumpism, immigration issues, and other topics.

Sam Harris and Chris Anderson discuss the rise of cynicism in tech, the problems with DEI, the science of generosity, the leverage of the Internet, mixed motives in giving, digital business models, wealth inequality, the ethics of billionaires, problems with Effective Altruism, and how to improve our digital lives.

Sam Harris speaks with Rabbi David Wolpe about the global response to the atrocities of October 7th, 2023. They discuss the difference between Israeli and diaspora Jews, the history and logic of antisemitism, conspiracy theories, right-wing and left-wing antisemitism, the response of Harvard to October 7th, the future of DEI and civil discourse, the BDS movement, Jewish acceptance at Ivy League universities, and the antisemitism endemic to Islam.

Learn about the crisis of meaning in affluent societies and how taking responsibility for our own minds can alleviate it. Discover the power of meditation in achieving contentment. Explore the concept of selflessness and how it can be experienced directly. Get insights on the hosts' app, Waking Up, which offers guidance on recognizing the non-dual nature of the mind and courses on stoicism and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Sam Harris speaks with Brian Muraresku about ancient mystery religions and the possible psychedelic roots of Christianity. They discuss the Mysteries of Eleusis, the 'pagan continuity hypothesis,' the cult of Dionysius, the Dead Sea scrolls and the Gnostic Gospels, Christianity as a cult of human sacrifice, the evidence for the use of psychedelics in ancient rites, the chemical analysis of ancient wine and beer, why Brian hasn't tried psychedelics, and the need for a modern Mysteries of Eleusis.

Sam Harris speaks with Amanda Knox about her experience of being falsely convicted and imprisoned for murder in Italy. They discuss the shocking discovery of the crime scene, challenges with language barrier and inadequate interpreters, portrayal in the documentary 'Amanda Knox', embracing equanimity and finding healing, resistance to changing beliefs, current status of public opinion in Italy, criminal justice reform, and the illusion of free will.

Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/344-the-war-in-gaza Sam Harris comments on the recent testimony of university presidents before Congress, along with Elon Musk's reinstating of Alex Jones on X. He then introduces a recent episode of the Call Me Back podcast about the war in Gaza, hosted by Dan Senor. Sam really enjoyed listening to this conversation and we’re delighted to be able to share it with the Making Sense community. Dan Senor is co-author of a new book, The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation in a Turbulent World, which is a New York Times bestseller. This book on the origins of Israeli resilience—and what the U.S. can learn from Israeli society—is especially relevant since October 7. He is also co-author of Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle, which has been translated into more than 30 languages. Dan is the host of the Call Me Back podcast, which has been focused exclusively on Israel and the Middle East since October 7, with most of the episodes built around conversations with Israeli journalists, officials and other experts on the ground in Israel. Previously, Dan served in various foreign policy positions in the U.S. Government—including in Iraq for over a year during the George W. Bush administration—and as an advisor to Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and others. Website: https://www.dansenor.com/ Twitter: @dansenor   Douglas Murray is the associate editor of The Spectator and writes frequently for a variety of other publications, including The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and The Sun. He has also given talks at both the British and European Parliaments and at the White House. He is the author of several books including The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam, The Madness of Crowds, and most recently, The War on the West. Website: https://douglasmurray.net/ Twitter: @DouglasKMurray   Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.  

Sam Harris discusses the impact of the term 'Islamophobia' on honest conversations and the importance of criticizing beliefs without hatred. He compares criticism of Christianity, Islam, and anti-Semitism, explores freedom of expression and the stifling of criticism in Islam. He addresses the issue of Islamophobia, arguing it is not bigotry but an acknowledgement of religious extremism dangers, emphasizing the need for self-reflection within the Muslim world to prevent right-wing authoritarianism.