Robert Sapolsky: "The Brain, Determinism, and Cultural Implications"

The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

Nate Hagens

Science, Earth Sciences, Natural Sciences

4.8 • 553 Ratings

🗓️ 13 September 2023

⏱️ 118 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On this episode, neuroscientist and author Robert Sapolsky joins Nate to discuss the structure of the human brain and its implication on behavior and our ability to change. Dr. Sapolsky also unpacks how the innate quality of a biological organism shaped by evolution and the surrounding environment - meaning all animals, including humans - leads him to believe that there is no such thing as free will, at least how we think about it today. How do our past and present hormone levels, hunger, stress, and more affect the way we make decisions? What implications does this have in a future headed towards lower energy and resource availability? How can our species manage the mismatch of our evolutionary biology with our modern day challenges - and navigate through a 'determined' future?

About Robert Sapolsky:

Robert Sapolsky is professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and a research associate with the Institute of Primate Research at the National Museum of Kenya. Over the past thirty years, he has divided his time between the lab, where he studies how stress hormones can damage the brain, and in East Africa, where he studies the impact of chronic stress on the health of baboons. Sapolsky is author of several books, including Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, A Primate's Memoir, Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst, and his newest book coming out in October, Determined: Life Without Free Will. He lives with his family in San Francisco.

Watch this video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xhobcj2K9v4

For Show Notes and More visit: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/88-robert-sapolksy

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to The Great Simplification with Nate Higgins.
0:06.2	That's me.
0:07.7	On this show, we try to explore and simplify what's happening with energy, the economy, the environment, in our society.
0:17.0	Together with scientists, experts, and leaders, this show is about understanding the bird's eye view of how everything fits together, where we go from here and what we can do about it as a society and as individuals.
0:32.9	It is an honor to introduce my next guest, Professor Robert Sapolsky, who at Stanford University
0:41.6	is a professor of biology, neurology, and neurosurgery, as well as a research associate at
0:48.5	the Institute of Primate Research at the National Museum of Kenya.
0:53.9	Over the past 30 years, Professor Sapolsky has divided his time between the lab, where he
0:59.5	studies how stress hormones can damage the brain, as well as in East Africa, where he
1:05.0	studies the impact of chronic stress on the health of baboons.
1:18.6	Robert is the author of numerous books, of which I have all of them, including his new book out in October called Determint, A Science of Life Without Free Will.
1:25.6	This was a wide-ranging, intense, and challenging conversation.
1:31.4	One of my favorite ever.
1:34.0	Robert has had a big influence on my thinking these last 20 years, and it was a real treat
1:39.3	to talk to him in person, even though when I scheduled the interview, I didn't know his next book was on
1:46.1	free will.
1:48.3	I'm still making my mind up on what I think on this topic, but this guy has been working
1:56.2	on this for 40 years, and this is an amazing conversation with insight into the constraints that
2:04.3	biology poses for the great simplification.
2:09.3	Please welcome Professor Robert Sapolsky.
2:12.4	Thank you. Professor Sapolsky, welcome to the program.
2:28.7	Well, thanks for having me here.
	...

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