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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

Lawrence M. Krauss

The Origins Podcast features in-depth conversations with some of the most interesting people in the world about the issues that impact all of us in the 21st century. Host, theoretical physicist, lecturer, and author, Lawrence M. Krauss, will be joined by guests from a wide range of fields, including science, the arts, and journalism. The topics discussed on The Origins Podcast reflect the full range of the human experience - exploring science and culture in a way that seeks to entertain, educate, and inspire. lawrencekrauss.substack.com
lawrencekrauss.substack.com

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Top 10 The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Robert Sapolsky:  The Illusion of Free Will

Robert Sapolsky: The Illusion of Free Will

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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10/18/23 • 178 min

I have been a fan of Robert Sapolsky’s for a long time. He is a creative force, with wide ranging knowledge, from primatology to neuroscience, and he is also a wonderful expositor of science. His previous book, Behave, was a wide ranging exploration of human behavior, at its best and worst. I have been wanting to do a podcast with him for some time, and the launch of his new book, Determined, gave us the opportunity. I got an advanced copy and we recorded this a few weeks ago, so that this podcast could post on the book’s publication date.

Had it been anyone else, I admit I wouldn’t have bothered to go through the book. I have long felt the issue of free will is overplayed. The laws of physics are deterministic, and since biology and chemistry are based on physics, I have never doubted that free will is an illusion, but have also felt that for all intents and purposes the world we live in is indistinguishable from a world with free will, so we should take responsibility for our actions.

As is often the case when reading Robert’s works, my view has now become more nuanced. His book masterfully discusses the neurobiology behind the illusion of free will, what actually interests me the most, and he effectively demolished claims of numerous philosophers, including Dan Dennett and others, that some magic occurs between the level of neurons and the level of the full brain that allows for some uncaused behavior.

Along the way, we are taken on a masterful and fun ride through modern neurobiology. And at the end, Sapolsky confronts the more serious question of crime and punishment in a world where free will is an illusion, and convincingly argues that in a world where bad luck early on gets multiplied throughout ones life, society can far more effectively and honestly deal with crime by abolishing the notion of punishment, replacing it with behaviorally more effective methods.

In our podcast, as we always do, we discussed Sapolsky’s origins. What got him interested in science. How did his 30 years working with primates impact on his view of humans, and more. I found it a fascinating discussion, and I hope you will too.

As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well.


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Andrei Linde: Inflation, Multiverses, and all that, from Mr. Eternal Inflation
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05/14/23 • 180 min

Andrei Linde is one of the world’s leading cosmological theorists, and is the father of much of Inflationary Cosmology. After Alan Guth developed the original idea of Inflation, Linde, who had been active in this area while working in Moscow, realized a way to make a workable theory out of it, resolving a major problem, called the ‘Graceful Exit’ problem. After that, he made the striking realization that Inflation is inevitable, even in relatively simple theoretical models, and moreover that Inflation will in general be eternal, spawning an infinite number of ‘pocket universes’, as Guth calls them, over an infinite amount of time. While there is much talk about multiverses in the context of string theory, it is the Inflationary Multiverse that is most well motivated, and is currently the most widely accepted picture of the global structure of space and time at the present moment.

Andrei is not only an incredible creative scientist, he is a charming fellow. I have enjoyed my interactions with him since I first met him, about 40 years ago. He is one of a handful of leading Russian scientists who were snapped up by the US after the fall of the Soviet Union. Since arriving in the US he has helped lead a vibrant program in Cosmology and String Theory at Stanford University. I was very excited to finally be able to have a dialogue with Andrei for The Origins Podcast. His teaching schedule precluded doing something each time I had reached out to him in the past, so I felt very fortunate when the stars aligned, or at least his teaching schedule and my recording schedule aligned. What resulted is a fascinating conversation with a remarkable scientist, and a lovely conversationalist. We discussed his own experiences in Russia and then again after emigrating, as well as Inflation, Multiverses, and the state of modern cosmology. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well.


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Martin Rees: If Science is to Save Us, Part 1

Martin Rees: If Science is to Save Us, Part 1

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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04/12/23 • 113 min

This is the second podcast dialogue we are airing with renowned astrophysicist, Astronomer Royal, and former President of the Royal Society, Lord Martin Rees. The first time I sat down with Martin for the Podcast we discussed his life in science, and topics ranging from the state of modern cosmology to the potential conflicts between science and religion (which he views as minimal, and I don’t). Martin’s thinking, and his expertise, go far beyond these topics however. Based on his experience at the Royal Society, as an elected member of the House of Lords, and working with the Center for Existential Risk at Cambridge, Martin has thought carefully about the challenges we face as a society in the 21st century, and how science can be marshaled to help us address these challenges. He has written a new book on the subject called If Science is to Save Us. I thought it would be useful and interesting to sit down with Martin to discuss the ideas he raises there, and our conversation turned out to be so wide-ranging that we are presenting it in two separate episodes of the podcast. This is the first release, and I am sure you will find his thoughtful and incisive comments both provocative and inspiring. As always, I benefitted greatly from my conversation with him, and I hope you do as well.

As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well.


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Stephen Fry on Current Events | Self-Censoring of Scientific Publications
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09/24/21 • 48 min

Lawrence Krauss and Stephen Fry have a conversation about recent disconcerting news that several scientific publications and associations are self-censoring scientific publications and data for fear of offending people, even if no offense is intended.. something that concerns both of them, and should concern all of us.

Show your support and access exclusive bonus content at https://www.patreon.com/originspodcast


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Charles Murray: On Human Diversity

Charles Murray: On Human Diversity

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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07/01/22 • 139 min

After writing the book, The Bell Curve, Charles Murray became a controversial figure in the US Social Science scene, and was much maligned in the public arena. His work has been misinterpreted as being racist and sexist, and at Middlebury College students forcibly stopped his guest lecture and rioted.

As often the case with stereotypes, Murray is instead a thoughtful scholar who has tried to base his social science research on data from empirical science, something that should be standard, but isn’t.

I wanted to discuss his most recent book, Human Diversity, with him. It is far from controversial, and instead is a clear effort to explain often complex genetic concepts in a popular format. He makes it clear that he focuses on only well understood and well accepted concepts, and the discussion we had was instructive and enjoyable. He is a delightful and thoughtful individual and I believe that comes out in our dialogue.

I know from experience, as I indicated at the beginning of our discussion, that many people will condemn the discussion without listening to it, just as they condemn his writing without reading it. But if you take the time, I think you will be pleasantly surprised, as well as learning some new things about the world.

One of the purposes of The Origins Podcast is to connect science and culture, and Murray connects hard science with social science issues in a refreshingly honest and detailed way. Indeed, if all social scientists and policy makers took his approach, the overall tenor of popular discussion would improve, I believe. And while Murray and I do not share political views on a number of issues, thoughtful discussion is far preferred to blanket cancellation and denunciation or a refusal to even engage. Again, that, I hope, is a hallmark of the podcast. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did.


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe

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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Current Events: Noam Chomsky on Afghanistan

Current Events: Noam Chomsky on Afghanistan

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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05/26/21 • 10 min

Listen to our newest mini-series "Current Events with Noam Chomsky"! In this episode, Lawrence and Noam discuss a variety of issues around Afghanistan, including the withdrawal of troops, military leaders, and considering the opinions of Afghans when deciding US Military movements.

Show your support and access exclusive bonus content at https://www.patreon.com/originspodcast


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe
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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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05/01/21 • 121 min

Lawrence joins acclaimed film director Werner Herzog at his home in Los Angeles to discuss societal norms, consumerism, cancel culture, the colonization of Mars, the philosophy behind his art and films, and much more.

See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release.

And please consider supporting the podcast by donating to the Origins Project Foundation www.originsprojectfoundation.org

Twitter: @TheOriginsPod
Instagram: @TheOriginsPod
Facebook: @TheOriginsPod
Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe
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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Stephen Greenblatt

Stephen Greenblatt

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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12/16/19 • 95 min

Lawrence joins Shakespearean, historian, and Pulitzer Prize winning author Stephen Greenblatt to discuss renaissance thinking, the crossroads of science and literature, Adam and Eve, Trump and much more.

See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release.

Twitter: @TheOriginsPod
Instagram: @TheOriginsPod
Facebook: @TheOriginsPod
Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe
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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - A Dialogue with Label-Defying Journalist Jonathan Kay

A Dialogue with Label-Defying Journalist Jonathan Kay

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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02/16/24 • 169 min

I first became aware of Jonathan Kay through his writing for the online magazine, Quillette. And for full disclosure, I got to know him better because he is one of their editors, and he has edited several of my own pieces for that magazine. Before that, however, I had been a fan of his writing, and was happy to be able to have an extended conversation with him about writing, journalism, false news, and politics, to name a few of the topics we discussed.

Our dialogue occurred shortly after the appearance of a comprehensive 15,000 word piece of investigative journalism piece by Kay about a supposed organized sex-ring in the Psychology Department at McMaster University in Canada. Outrageous claims had surfaced, which ignited the university, and the local media, destroying the careers of various faculty and others, all of which eventually turned out to be false. Kay carefully explored how the original story developed, what factors prompted the University to act, and how local media played up the salacious claims without much investigation. It was a typical example of how false news can propagate, and also an indictment of the way Universities handle such claims, and local media may promote them.

The appearance of this story gave us the opportunity to talk about the state of journalism in general. Jonathan has had a unique career and background, which made him a particularly interesting dialogue partner about this issue. He actually was educated as a metallurgical engineer, and following that he pursued a law degree at Yale University, and was a tax lawyer before eventually becoming disenchanted and deciding to pursue a career in writing and journalism.

He also defies easy labelling. While he was a founding editor of the conservative Canadian newspaper The National Post, he also helped Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau write his memoirs. It is Jonathan’s non-ideological bent, perhaps due to his early training as a scientist and engineer that makes his perspective on today’s news so refreshing. We discussed his own background, what got him into writing, his experiences, and stories including the recent claimed Indigenous Residential School scandal in Canada, and the controversy surrounding the naming of the James Webb Space Telescope in the U.S.

When I contacted Jon this week to let him know the podcast is coming out, I learned that he had just completed a lengthy investigative piece about University of New Hampshire astrophysicist/gender studies social justice warrior Chanda Prescod Weinstein who, in the process of claiming victimization for herself and others, has apparently been bullying, harassing, and intimidating a host of others online, leading to complaints recently being filed at her institution. It coincidentally just came out yesterday, so this podcast is particularly timely. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I enjoyed talking to this fascinating man.

As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well.


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe
bookmark
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The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss - Joseph LeDoux

Joseph LeDoux

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

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12/05/20 • 104 min

Lawrence joins neuroscientist and author Joseph LeDoux in his office at New York University to discuss human consciousness (including its evolutionary development), the difficulties of distinguishing behavior from emotions, his latest book The Deep History of Ourselves: The Four-Billion-Year Story of How We Got Conscious Brains, and more.

The Origins Podcast is now a part of The Origins Project Foundation. For more information, visit originsprojectfoundation.org

See the commercial-free, full HD videos of all episodes at www.patreon.com/originspodcast immediately upon their release.

And please consider supporting the podcast by donating to the Origins Project Foundation www.originsprojectfoundation.org

Twitter: @TheOriginsPod
Instagram: @TheOriginsPod
Facebook: @TheOriginsPod
Website: https://theoriginspodcast.com


Get full access to Critical Mass at lawrencekrauss.substack.com/subscribe
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FAQ

How many episodes does The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss have?

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss currently has 100 episodes available.

What topics does The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss cover?

The podcast is about Natural Sciences, Podcasts, Science and Physics.

What is the most popular episode on The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss?

The episode title 'Robert Sapolsky: The Illusion of Free Will' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss?

The average episode length on The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss is 109 minutes.

How often are episodes of The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss released?

Episodes of The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss are typically released every 15 days, 23 hours.

When was the first episode of The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss?

The first episode of The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss was released on Jun 8, 2019.

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