#149 – The Case Against AI Consciousness | Anil Seth

In a world racing toward artificial general intelligence, one of the world’s leading consciousness researchers argues we’re chasing the wrong goal entirely. What if the brain isn’t a computer at all—and consciousness requires something silicon can never replicate?

Professor Anil Seth is a cognitive and computational neuroscientist at the University of Sussex, editor-in-chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness, and bestselling author of “Being You: A New Science of Consciousness.” His TED talk has been viewed over 15 million times. Rather than getting swept up in AI hype, Anil has become one of the most compelling voices challenging the assumption that advanced AI will—or even could—become conscious, advocating instead for “biological naturalism”: the idea that consciousness is intimately tied to being alive.

#148 – Why We Stop Noticing Joy (And How to Get It Back) | Tali Sharot

What if the secret to happiness isn’t finding more pleasure, but learning how to keep feeling the pleasure you already have? Neuroscientist Tali Sharot reveals why our brains are wired to stop noticing the good things in life—and what we can do about it.

Tali Sharot is a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London and author of influential books including “The Optimism Bias,” “The Influential Mind,” and “Look Again” (co-written with Cass Sunstein). Her groundbreaking research on decision-making, belief, and emotion has reshaped how we understand why we believe what we believe and how we can design better lives in an age of AI and algorithmic influence.

#147 – The Paradox of Choice in the AI Age | Barry Schwartz Returns

In this episode I sit down with psychologist Barry Schwartz whose groundbreaking work continues to shape how we understand choice, freedom, and human flourishing in our rapidly evolving world.

Eight years after our first conversation, Barry returns to explore how his seminal ideas from “The Paradox of Choice” have become even more relevant—and challenging—in our AI-driven era. With over 35 million views on his TED Talks, Barry’s insights have influenced millions, yet as he candidly admits, the problems he identified in 2004 have only grown worse.

#146 – Carl Honoré returns

Today I’ve got a friend back on the show for round 2, Carl Honoré. Carl is the author of the international bestseller, ‘In Praise of Slow’ which dissects our speed-obsessed society and celebrates those who have gotten in touch with their “inner tortoise”, as well as the books: ‘Under Pressure’, ‘The Slow Fix’ and his latest book, ‘Bolder’. Carl’s TED Talks have been viewed million times and he’s been described as “The unofficial godfather of a growing cultural shift toward slowing down”.

#145 – Dr. Michael Shermer returns

Today I have the pleasure of having Dr. Michael Shermer back on the show for round 2! Dr. Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the Science Salon podcast, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers; Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Giving the Devil His Due. He’s appeared on Oprah, The Colbert Report, Larry King Live and his two TED talks have been viewed by millions. Neil deGrasse Tyson described Michael as “a beacon of reason in an ocean of irrationality.”

#144 – Mark Wolynn

Today’s guest is Mark Wolynn. Director and founder of The Family Constellation Institute in San Francisco, Mark is a world leader in the field of inherited family trauma. A bestselling author and sought-after lecturer, he teaches at hospitals, clinics and universities around the world including: the University of Pittsburgh, JFK University and the Western Psychiatric Institute. His book: ‘IT DIDN’T START WITH YOU: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle’ is the winner of the 2016 Silver Nautilus Book Award in psychology and has been translated into 19 languages.

Marci Shimoff – My Favourite Forgiveness Tool

Marci Shimoff is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a world-renowned transformational teacher and an expert on happiness, success, and unconditional love. Her books include the international bestsellers ‘Love for No Reason’ and ‘Happy for No Reason’. Marci is also the woman’s face of the biggest self-help book phenomenon in history as co-author of six books in the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series. With total book sales of more than 15 million copies worldwide in 33 languages, she is one of the bestselling female nonfiction authors of all time. She is also a featured teacher in the international film and book sensation, ‘The Secret’ and the host of the national PBS TV show called ‘Happy for No Reason’.

#143 – Laura Huang Ph.D.

Today I’m speaking with Laura Huang. Many of us sit back quietly, hoping that our hard work and effort will speak for itself—only to be left frustrated and discouraged. Or we try to force ourselves into the mould of someone we think is “successful,” but in doing so, we stifle the creativity and charm that make us unique and memorable. Laura is a professor at Harvard Business School, who has spent her academic career studying interpersonal relationships and implicit bias in entrepreneurship and in the workplace. Her research has been featured in the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes and Nature. She’s been named one of the 40 Best Business School Professors Under the Age of 40, and she’s the author of EDGE: Turning Adversity into Advantage.

#142 – John Ratey M.D.

Best selling author, Dr. John Ratey M.D. is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an internationally recognised expert in Neuropsychiatry. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles and 11 books published in 17 languages. With the publication of  ‘Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain’, Dr. Ratey has established himself as one of the world’s foremost authorities on the brain-fitness connection. Recognised by his peers as one of the Best Doctors in America since 1997, Dr. Ratey was recently honoured by the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society as “Outstanding Psychiatrist of the Year” for advancing the field. He’s frequently profiled in the media from: ABC, CBS, NBC, The New York Times, Newsweek, The Washington Post, and that’s just scratching the surface. (This interview was recorded in April 2019).

#141 – Dr. Michael Greger

Dr. Michael Greger is a physician, an internationally recognised speaker on a number of important public health issues, and a bestselling author of multiple titles including the instant New York Times bestseller ‘How Not To Die’. He’s testified before Congress, has appeared on shows such as: The Colbert Report and The Dr. Oz Show, and Oprah Winfrey invited him to be her expert witness in the infamous “meat defamation” trial. He is a Council of Directors member of True Health Initiative which is a coalition of more than 360 world experts representing 35 countries, who together offer clarity as to the principles behind healthy eating and healthy living.