Free Will with Sam Harris (Part 1) [Video] || The Psychology Podcast

Today it’s great to have Sam Harris on the podcast. Sam is the author of five New York Timesbest sellers, including The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, Lying, and Waking Up. The End of Faith won the 2005 PEN Award for Nonfiction. His writing and public lectures cover a wide range of topics—neuroscience, moral philosophy,religion, meditation practice, human violence, rationality—but generally focus on how a growing understanding of ourselves and the world is changing our sense of how we should live. He also hosts the Making Sense Podcast, which was selected by Apple as one of the “iTunes Best” and has won a Webby Award for best podcast in the Science & Education category.

Topics

[1:57] Sam’s reflections on his childhood

[7:18] Sam’s interest in martial arts

[8:04] Sam’s experience with MDMA

[12:09] How Sam ended up on the Dalai Lama’s security detail

[16:39] Sam’s experience with meditation teacher Sayadaw U Pandita

[23:12] Dualistic vs Nondualistic mindfulness

[24:34] Sam’s experience with Dzogchen meditation

[28:27] Sam’s dream about Dilgo Khyentse

[34:15] Sam’s experience with fiction writing

[37:50] Scott questions Sam’s position on free will

[41:33] Sam’s disagreement with Daniel Dennett

[42:41] Sam’s take on free will and human interaction

[46:38] Why Sam thinks we’re getting “free will” wrong


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[prisonss]

Sam Harris is the most clear thinker known....his reasoning and love to his fellow humans is second to none!

[adriancioroianu]

Sam Harris is just magnetic, you can't stop listening to him when he gets deep.

[aniccadance]

I love Sam, he's a genuine, honest and generous man and his meditation app is wonderful🥰

[AlexGullen]

Fascinating how Sam's breakthrough dream moment with the pointing over his shoulder echoes with Ekhart Tolle's breakthrough moment at the depth of his depression.

[GenXever]

Awesome talk. You asked Sam questions no one usually asks. Nice to hear another side of him. Thanks!

[er]

I love podcasts with you and Sam, your appearance on waking up was one of my favorite of Sam's podcasts. I hope you guys do more together soon

[nima.shokouhfar]

Great content. I am a big fan of Sam Harris.
👍

[TheBuzzati]

Oh Scott, you dirty devil, you. That ending -- Leaving us on a cliffhanger like this. Dastardly.

[OfCourseICan]

Fuck; what an intellect! I really didn't like this bloke until this wonderful interview, but when Sam went on about our lives already being pre-ordained, just floored me. I had this concept already in the depths of my mind and now it has been confirmed. What a mind, thanks so much for this wonderful interview.

[cynthiadeg]

I’ll accept the notion that I have no free will and my ego also, then must accept that others, no matter how sadistic they are, are also lacking in free will.

[chriskii]

Great chat with Sam Harris! Would be great to hear your with Jordan Peterson too and get into good psychology knowledge!

[Ligma.]

Now I'm imagining a weary Sam Harris walking out onto his porch in the early morning, still rubbing his eyes as he is approached by a cougar with "Free Will" spray painted down it's side.

Fantastic analogy, and now "Free Will Cougar" is one of my favorite animal mascots, right up there with "Brain Wolf".

[trevorhill]

Sam's mom is actually the creator of the Golden Girls and, the fact that's true, is one of the weirdest things I've ever learned.

[nirmalhodum]

We want part 2! When will it come out? Can't wait

[tylerjhunter]

Compatibilists seem to think that nobody actually believes in libertarian free will.

[irrelevant]

It boggles my mind on how anyone would argue and disagree with Sam Harris on the topic of free will after listening to him explain how free will is nonsense.

[ryanjones]

Thanks for sharing this conversation! I've enjoyed it, but if I'm to give some constructive feedback can you please not cut of the video mid-sentence - I'm guessing you did it to create a cliffhanger but I might watch part 2 in a week or so. By then it won't make as much sense within the context of the whole discussion and right now it's frustrating because I didn't hear the end of Sam's thought.👍

[BrentPinkston]

Found this episode from your latest conversation with Jordan Peterson, and am glad you spoke about it. I was really surprised by the fact that Sam Harris spent time in a duelist meditative discipline. It brings an unexpected perspective on his views on religion. Great episode, and left a lot to unpack.

[carmack]

Came here from Jordan Peterson's podcast :)

[S.G.Wallner]

I hope there is more free will discussion in part 2.