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Ep. 14: Sam Harris, PhD - Spirituality, Neuroscience, Meditation, and More https://rss.art19.com/episodes/74642a52-96cf-431b-bdcf-e49878642d73.mp3 Download

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Now, on to our guest… Sam Harris.

Sam Harris is a neuroscience Ph.D. and the author of the bestselling books, The End of Faith, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, Lying, and Waking Up. His work has been discussed in The New York Times, Time, Scientific American, Nature, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and many other journals.

In this episode, we explore the science of lying, uses and types of meditation, psychedelic drug uses and risks, spiritual experiences, and more. It’s really a discussion of the human experience, and how to optimize it without harming others.

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Enjoy!…

You can find the transcript of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Show Notes and Select Links (Resources, Books, Etc.) from Ep 14

Where Tim and Sam first met, and why shaking hands was not required…or really an option.

What are fMRI machines, and how does Sam use them for his studies of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty?

The faults of traditional lie detectors and the future of belief detectors.

Why “micro-expression” analysis is probably overstated.

Using meditation or pharmacology (drugs) to help present-state awareness and well-being.

What types of meditation Sam recommends and why.

Sam’s most controversial beliefs (or perhaps positions) of the last several years.

Why Malala Yousafzai should have won the Nobel Peace Prize…but why it’s probably a good thing she didn’t.

Are self-righteous but guilt-ridden white males ruining freedom of speech?

Examining self-transcendence and love.

Psychedelic drugs as an important rite of passage for human beings.

Which psychedelic drugs Sam has found most therapeutically valuable.

What are the powers and liabilities (or risks) of psychedelic drugs?

Why the only way to ensure you don’t have a bad trip is not to take a trip at all…

Debated by Tim and Sam — Is it only possible to truly hit the center of the spirituality bullseye through meditation (a.k.a. “try rugs, not drugs”)?

SOME LINKS FROM EPISODE 14:

Who is Lucius Annaeus Seneca?

Sam Harris’s Blog

Paul Ekman’s work on Micro Expressions

Who is Malala Yousafzai?

Who is Ayann Hirsi Ali?

Brandeis University controversy with regards to Ayann Hirsi Ali

On the “freedom to offend an imaginary god” blog post

Vipassana meditation

How to meditate — blog post

Drugs and the Meaning of life — blog post

6 Health Benefits of Yerba Mate Tea

The Riddle of the Gun — blog post

BOOKS FOR BRAINSTORMING, MENTIONED IN EPISODE 14:

Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion – by Sam Harris

End of Faith – by Sam Harris

Lying – by Sam Harris

Mindfulness in Plain English – by Bhante Gunaratana

The Experience of Insight – by Joseph Goldstein

Wherever You go, There You are – by Jon Kabat-Zinn

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