
Minds Almost Meeting
Imagine two smart curious friendly and basically truth-seeking people, but from very different intellectual traditions. Traditions with different tools, priorities, and ground rules. What would they discuss? Would they talk past each other? Make any progress? Would anyone want to hear them? Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard decided to find out.
Latest episodes

Mar 20, 2024 • 1h
Resentment (Robin Hanson & Agnes Callard)
Two intellectuals from different traditions, Robin Hanson and Agnes Callard, discuss resentment and its complexities. They delve into societal views, group norms, relationships, artful expressions, vulnerability, and strength. The conversation explores dynamics in group settings, confronting resentment, and the balance between gratitude and resentment.

Mar 14, 2024 • 1h 6min
Social miracles (Agnes Callard & Robin Hanson)
Minds Almost Meeting: Season 8, Episode 4.
View the transcript for this episode here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com/episodes/social-miracles
Imagine two smart curious friendly and basically truth-seeking people, but from very different intellectual traditions. Traditions with different tools, priorities, and ground rules. What would they discuss? Would they talk past each other? Make any progress? Would anyone want to hear them? Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard decided to find out.
Visit the Minds Almost Meeting website here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com
note: re-uploaded due to a glitch

14 snips
Mar 7, 2024 • 59min
Consumerism (Robin Hanson & Agnes Callard)
Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard explore consumerism, societal perceptions of enjoying nature versus shopping, manipulation of desires by individuals and institutions, seduction in the novel 'Ladies Paradise', personal enjoyment and critiques of consumerism, impact of consumerism and media on personal growth, and cultural perceptions of consumer items.

Feb 28, 2024 • 1h 7min
Disagreement and alienation (Agnes Callard & Robin Hanson, with Berislav Marušić)
Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard explore disagreements and alienation, challenging conventional perspectives. They discuss the rationality of differing opinions, the complexities of belief formation, and the importance of engaging in reasoning-based conversations. The podcast highlights the significance of judging arguments based on merit alone and suspending judgment to navigate disagreements effectively.

Feb 21, 2024 • 1h 3min
Evidence order bias (Robin Hanson & Agnes Callard)
Minds Almost Meeting: Season 8, Episode 1.
View the transcript for this episode here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com/episodes/evidence-order-bias
Imagine two smart curious friendly and basically truth-seeking people, but from very different intellectual traditions. Traditions with different tools, priorities, and ground rules. What would they discuss? Would they talk past each other? Make any progress? Would anyone want to hear them? Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard decided to find out.
Visit the Minds Almost Meeting website here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com

Nov 16, 2023 • 1h 6min
Theoretical vs. Practical Reason (Agnes Callard & Robin Hanson, with Laura Deming)
Philosopher Agnes Callard and economist Robin Hanson discuss the distinction between practical and theoretical reasoning, the authority of academics, evaluating actions for the benefit of the world, prioritizing underworked problems, motives and constraints in pursuing selfless goals, the importance of understanding machine intentions, and the value of knowledge and making life choices.

17 snips
Nov 9, 2023 • 56min
Psychoanalysis (Robin Hanson & Agnes Callard, with Jamieson Webster)
Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard discuss the complexity of desire and its relationship to societal rules, the impact of psychoanalysis in managing desires, the fragmentation of communities and religious revival, and the concept of freedom and self-knowledge.

Nov 2, 2023 • 59min
Inspiration (Agnes Callard & Robin Hanson)
View the transcript for this episode here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com/episodes/inspiration
Imagine two smart curious friendly and basically truth-seeking people, but from very different intellectual traditions. Traditions with different tools, priorities, and ground rules. What would they discuss? Would they talk past each other? Make any progress? Would anyone want to hear them? Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard decided to find out.
Visit the Minds Almost Meeting website here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com

Oct 12, 2023 • 1h 2min
Respect (Robin Hanson & Agnes Callard)
View the transcript for this episode here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com/episodes/respect
Imagine two smart curious friendly and basically truth-seeking people, but from very different intellectual traditions. Traditions with different tools, priorities, and ground rules. What would they discuss? Would they talk past each other? Make any progress? Would anyone want to hear them? Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard decided to find out.
Visit the Minds Almost Meeting website here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com

Oct 5, 2023 • 1h 1min
Fighting (Agnes Callard & Robin Hanson)
View the transcript for this episode here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com/episodes/fighting
Imagine two smart curious friendly and basically truth-seeking people, but from very different intellectual traditions. Traditions with different tools, priorities, and ground rules. What would they discuss? Would they talk past each other? Make any progress? Would anyone want to hear them? Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard decided to find out.
Visit the Minds Almost Meeting website here: https://mindsalmostmeeting.com