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ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 48: A Joyous Journey from Black-and-White to Grey (with Tom Gilovich)

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE



Is “the spectrum” a more helpful way to think about the world than “categories”?



Tom Gilovich joins Igor and Charles to discuss the perils of black-and-white thinking, the evolving data on the hot hand phenomenon, the science of regret, why foxes are wiser than hedgehogs, and the freedom that comes from learning that we are of less interest to other people than we think. Igor considers the limits of psychological nudging in tackling society’s structural problems, Tom shares the perspective that leads him to be so unrelentingly joyful, and Charles learns that even scientists have to work hard to avoid being typecast. Welcome to Episode 48.

Click here to listen to ‘A Joyous Journey from Black-and-White to Grey (with Tom Gilovich)’ in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.

ON WISDOM Podcast – World After Covid series: Wisdom for Now (Part II) – What’s important, Living in the moment, Social connectedness, and Shared humanity

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


WORLD AFTER COVID SERIES

Welcome to the World After Covid series of the On Wisdom Podcast, with Igor Grossmann and Charles Cassidy, in collaboration with the World After Covid project. You’ll be hearing insights and forecasts from some of the world’s leading thinkers on what our post-pandemic world may look like, for good and for bad, and what kinds of wisdom may best help us navigate this new world.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE



What one piece of wisdom is important to give to people now to help them make it through the pandemic?



Igor and Charles share and discuss responses given to this critical question by 57 of the world’s leading behavioral and social scientists, collected as part of the World After Covid project. Each episode, four responses are selected. This time, the conversation covers themes of what’s important, living in the moment, social connectedness, and shared humanity in the midst of the pandemic.

Featuring:
Yukiko Ushida, Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology at the Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University
Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Greater Good Science Center
Wendy Mendes, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Francisco
Michael Bond, Cross-cultural Social Psychologist

Click here to listen to ‘World After Covid series: Wisdom for Now (Part II) – What’s important, Living in the moment, Social connectedness, and Shared humanity’ in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.
Click here to learn more about the World After Covid Project

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.


ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 30: Emotions, Attention, and Decision Making in the Aging Brain (with Mara Mather)

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE



Despite the common stereotype of ‘older and crankier,’ psychologists suggest we become more positive as we age. Why?

Do our aging brains become worse at detecting threats in the environment?

Do we choose to focus on more positive aspects of our experience as we age? And what does the latest scientific research say about one of the major dangers of older age — Alzheimer’s disease?



Professor of Gerontology and Psychology at the University of Southern California Mara Mather joins Igor and Charles to discuss the neuroscience of emotional aging, the role of the locus coeruleus in memory and attention, emotion-induced blindness, and the parallels between Cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Igor digs into the different roles of culture and the lack of good longitudinal studies of aging, Mara reveals how intense emotions can sharpen some aspects of our memories of an event while blunting others, and Charles learns that he and many others may be on the Alzheimer’s spectrum.

Welcome to Episode 30.

Click here to listen to ‘Episode 30: Emotions, Attention, and Decision Making in the Aging Brain (with Mara Mather) in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.


ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 29: Charting Pandemic Waters: A Common Wisdom Model for Uncertain Times (with Howard Nusbaum)

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE



What is the value of wisdom in the time of the global pandemic?

Does the community of behavioural scientists studying wisdom agree on anything about the nature of wisdom?

Can we say what we now know about wisdom and, conversely, what do we know we don’t yet know? 



Director of the Chicago Center for Practical Wisdom and Stella M. Rowley Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago Howard Nusbaum joins Igor and Charles to discuss the recently assembled Toronto Wisdom Task Force and the resulting Common Wisdom Model, meta-cognition, the thorny issue of moral-grounding, and sage advice regarding how to measure wisdom in the lab. Igor stresses the importance of building solid theoretical foundations for the field in the context of the pandemic, Howard reflects on the viability of evil wisdom, and Charles learns that we had better pay close attention today to the values we program into the decision-making robots of tomorrow.

Welcome to Episode 29.

Click here to listen to ‘Episode 29: Charting Pandemic Waters: A Common Wisdom Model for Uncertain Times (with Howard Nusbaum) in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.


ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 28: Pandemic Happiness (with Sonja Lyubomirsky)

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE



Is happiness research even relevant in such times of crisis, or is focusing on our happiness simply a luxury we can no longer afford?

And, while effective for many people, why does the cultivation of gratitude sometimes result in unexpectedly negative consequences? 



Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside Sonja Lyubomirsky joins Igor and Charles to discuss the key components of happiness, lessons from 9-11, ‘happiness-intervention fit’, Mother Teresa’s dark side, and the unexpected psychological impact of the global pandemic to date. Igor reflects on life-under-lockdown vs life in the downfall of the Soviet Union, Sonja discusses the subtle art of balancing optimism with positive action, and Charles learns that when it comes to counting one’s blessings, it pays not to count too high.

Welcome to Episode 28.

Click here to listen to ‘Episode 28: Pandemic Happiness (with Sonja Lyubomirsky) in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.


ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 27: The Wisdom of a Modern Elder (with Chip Conley)

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE


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Though there is a lot of talk about diversity in the workplace, “age diversity” is often overlooked.

Might there even be an emerging mission-critical role for wise elders in the world’s most cutting-edge tech companies?


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Hospitality maverick and Airbnb Strategic Advisor Chip Conley joins Igor and Charles to discuss the U-Curve of happiness, the surprises and challenges of mentoring billionaire CEOs and State Governors, the potential of intergenerational housing, the emergence of a new generation of wisdom workers, and his new project to build the world’s first midlife wisdom school – The Modern Elder Academy. Igor seeks new solutions for the stressed ‘sandwich generation’, Chip highlights the importance of curiosity at work and how mentoring and interning often go hand-in-hand, and Charles picks Chip’s brain on how to make wisdom more hip and sexy.

Welcome to Episode 27.

Click here to listen to ‘Episode 27: The Wisdom of a Modern Elder (with Chip Conley)’ in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.


ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 26: Wicked Problems (with Judith Glück)

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE


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Bad things happen to all of us. But why do some people grow wiser, while others simply grow bitter?

What do scientists do to reliably measure wisdom in the laboratory?

And might this research suggest solutions to some of the most pressing problems of our time?


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Professor of Developmental Psychology at Alpen-Adria University Klagenfurt and one of today’s leading wisdom scientists Judith Glück joins Igor and Charles to discuss the MORE Model of Life Experience, different ways of reflecting on personal experiences, collaborative doctors, compassionate teachers, and pervasive foolishness across the entire political spectrum. Igor ponders potential paths to wiser politics in the face of the world’s uncertainties, Judith reminds us that our choice of confidants is critical if we are to extract wisdom from challenging experiences, and Charles is surprised to learn that neither the left nor the right has a monopoly on championing unwise leaders.

Welcome to Episode 26.


Click here to listen to ‘Episode 26: Wicked Problems (with Judith Glück)’ in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.


ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 25: ‘This is Basically a Revolution’: Self-Knowledge & The Battle for Better Science (with Simine Vazire)

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE



Is the “business-as-usual” approach to science in crisis?

Does the public have a good grasp of how scientific knowledge is really generated?

And might scientists be as much prey to self-serving biases as the rest of us mortals?



UC Davis Associate Professor of Psychology and co-founder of The Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science Simine Vazire joins Igor and Charles to discuss the thorny complexity of seeking reliable knowledge about the world and about ourselves, the perils of being a whistleblower in the competitive world of modern science, and the on-going scientific credibility revolution. We discuss meta-scientists, the Open Science movement, and the power of preprints to bust open the black box of peer review. Igor tries to unpack the dialectic of motives among the ‘data policemen,’ Simine issues a call-to-arms for a grassroots-powered future for the scientific community, and Charles learns that the planet of self-knowledge is in a galaxy still far, far away.

Welcome to Episode 25.


Click here to listen to ‘Episode 25: This is Basically a Revolution’: Self-Knowledge & The Battle for Better Science (with Simine Vazire)’ in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.

ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 24: Misbehavioral Economics: Choosing Irrationality

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE


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Are people being reasonable when they act irrationally?

Doesn’t rationality and reasonableness mean the same thing?


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Charles and Igor kick of the new decade by diving into a messy mix of behavioral economics, nudges, moral philosophy and legal studies, to examine what standards guide people’s decisions. Charles asks Igor about core standards that guide people when they try to make a good decision. Igor unpacks how the standard of a rational agent evolved in the 20th century and what implications it has had for modern economics and politics. Charles wonders if there are any reasonable people left on the Clapham omnibus in London. Igor discusses his new work assessing how most people define rationality and reasonableness, showing that irrational behavior may be a consequence of focusing on reasonableness instead.


Welcome to Episode 24.


Click here to listen to ‘Episode 24: Misbehavioral Economics: Choosing Irrationality’ in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.

ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 23: Antifragility, Gut Feelings, and the Myth of Pure Evil (with Jonathan Haidt)

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The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.


ABOUT THIS EPISODE



Does that which doesn’t kill you make you weaker?

Should we always follow our emotions?

Is life a battle between good people and bad people?

And critically, what might the adoption of these three popular, but unwise, ideas be doing to a rising generation of young adults?



NYU Professor Jonathan Haidt joins Igor and Charles to discuss the three great untruths of modern life, the nature of antifragility, the ‘great awokening,’ rising violence on US university campuses, and the origin story of the Heterodox Academy. Igor suggests that diversity can help some projects while hindering others, Jon shares his ultimate conflict-resolving ninja skill, and Charles learns that conservative voters come in radically different shapes and sizes.

Welcome to Episode 23.


Click here to listen to ‘Episode 23: Antifragility, Gut Feelings, and the Myth of Pure Evil (with Jonathan Haidt)’ in full.


Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.
Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.
Click here to subscribe to the podcast through your chosen app.

If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.