Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content

Sam Harris speaks with philosopher Peter Singer about the moral status of non-human animals, speciesism, and the scale of animal suffering. They also discuss conscientious omnivores, animal experimentation, and concerns about Effective Altruism. Singer's influential book 'Animal Liberation' is explored, as well as the comparative nature of human suffering and the work of philosopher Derek Parfit. They touch on objective morality and delve into Buddhist ethics and contemporary issues with a female Buddhist monastic.

Sam Harris speaks with Yuval Noah Harari about the Gaza war, the failure of the IDF, the incompetence of the Netanyahu government, the goals of Hamas, the Saudi peace treaty, and the double standards faced by Israel. They discuss the future of politics in Israel, America's role in preserving global order, the war in Ukraine, and more.

Sam Harris, a public intellectual and author, discusses the war in Gaza, the rise of anti-Semitism, and the problem of jihadism. Topics include alternative approaches to the Israel-Hamas conflict, understanding violent religious beliefs, examining recent incidents of anti-Semitism, moral confusion in distinguishing intentional violence from unintended harm in war, the impact of Hamas on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and insights into Palestinian culture and mindset through a disturbing audio clip.

Sam Harris speaks with Graeme Wood about recent events in Israel and Gaza, exploring the concept of jihadism, the Israeli government's involvement in religious extremism, motives behind acts of violence in the name of Jihad, the problem of jihadist ideology, sentiment towards the theocracy in Iran, comparing Iran to ISIS, and the double standards surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The podcast explores the differences in attitudes towards violence between Israel and its enemies, with a focus on Hamas. It also discusses the historical context of war crimes and ethical norms in the Muslim world compared to the West. The tactics of jihadists in Gaza and Iraq in using human shields are contrasted with the Israeli army's practice of warning people before bombing. The podcast also highlights the contrasting ethical approaches of Israel and its adversaries in intentional civilian massacres versus unintentional noncombatant deaths.

Jeannie Fontana and Robin Carhart-Harris discuss the Treat California initiative, the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, and the future applications of psychedelic medicine. They emphasize the need for large-scale clinical trials, patient education, and accessibility. The chapter also explores the financial challenges of conducting well-run studies, the effects of psychedelic drugs on the brain, and the need for non-denominational dialogue.

Sam Harris speaks with Yascha Mounk about identity politics, skepticism about cancel culture, racial segregation in schools, ideological change on college campuses, rejection of universalism, indoctrination of children, intersectionality, white privilege, racial preferences during Covid, asymmetric advantage of authoritarianism, media coverage of crime and violence, and the role of social media in shaping politics and journalism.

The speaker discusses being misrepresented on podcasts and social media. They express concerns about the pharmaceutical industry and capitalism's role. Government control and pandemic response are also discussed. Free speech and the suppression of debate on social media are highlighted. The risks and safety measures of flying are explored. The accuracy of COVID deaths and the impact of vaccine hesitancy are discussed.

Sam Harris speaks with David Brooks about the state of American democracy, the loss of social trust, identity politics, the Republican Party, the 2024 Presidential Election, the Trump indictments, the war in Ukraine, economic inequality, the problems with meritocracy, the state of media and social media, the lure of conspiracy thinking, our handling of the Covid pandemic, our withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the limits of American power.

Renowned scientist Chris Field provides a 'sanity check' on climate change, discussing the accuracy of climate models, historical records of climate variation, wildfires, air pollution, renewable sources of energy, carbon capture, China and India, carbon taxes, and other topics. The chapter explores the urgency of addressing climate change to prevent catastrophic consequences and the potential benefits of a carbon tax in incentivizing reductions in emissions. The speaker expresses optimism but acknowledges challenges in meeting Paris Agreement goals.