Big Think

• 3 tools for predicting 2122 | Peter Schwartz

  Peter Schwartz, the futurist behind Minority Report, explains 3 steps for predicting what comes next. It's very easy to imagine how things might go wrong, but it's much harder to imagine how things might go right. "Futurists" are those who study the future so that the people alive today can make better decisions for tomorrow. It is impossible to get all of the predictions right. The point of futurism, however, is to envision multiple scenarios in which we can test our decisions so that we are ready for whatever actually occurs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This video is part of The Progress Issue, a Big Think and Freethink special collaboration. In this inaugural special issue we set out to explore progress — how it happens, how we nurture it and how we stifle it, and what changes are required in how we approach our most serious problems to ensure greater and more equitable progress for all. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Peter Schwartz: Peter Schwartz is an internationally renowned futurist and business strategist, specializing in scenario planning and working with corporations, governments, and institutions to create alternative perspectives of the future and develop robust strategies for a changing and uncertain world. As Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning for Salesforce, he manages the organization’s ongoing strategic conversation. Peter was co-founder and chairman of Global Business Network. He is the author of several works. His first book, The Art of the Long View, is considered a seminal publication on scenario planning. Peter has also served as a script consultant on the films "The Minority Report," "Deep Impact," "Sneakers," and "War Games." He received a B.S. in aeronautical engineering and astronautics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------06:30-17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Psychopathy can be treated—but here’s why it rarely is | Prof. Abigail Marsh

  Psychopathy is actually a spectrum, and care is the variable that differentiates true psychopaths from highly empathetic people. Here’s why that matters, and how it can be treated, according to Professor Abigail Marsh. Humans are among the most altruistic species that we’ve studied, due to our alloparental instincts – a trait we evolved into that allows us to care for offspring who are not our own. Across species, the ones who alloparent the most appear to be the most altruistic. Very altruistic people seem to be the opposite of those who are psychopathic in terms of their neural structure, neural function, and characteristic emotional traits. Science has been studying psychopathy for decades, but only more recently have we been identifying the basic neurocognitive building blocks of those deficits in psychopathy, says Abigail Marsh, PhD. Here, Marsh explains how the psychopathic break is different, early warning signs that may indicate a lack of empathy, and how psychopathy can be treated. Timestamps: 0:00 - The psychopathy spectrum 1:08 - An alloparental species 2:32 - The physiology of psychopathy 5:53 - The lateral prefrontal cortex 6:29 - Treating psychopathy About Abigail Marsh: Abigail Marsh is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University. She received her PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University in 2004. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ---------------------------------------------------------06:30-17 ---------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The illusion of self and the illusion of free will, explained | Annaka Harris

  “Many people get stuck in feeling responsible for their psychological state, and there's a way in which simply being with whatever uncomfortable emotions rather than believing that you are controlling them can be extremely beneficial for psychological wellbeing.” Are you actually in the driver’s seat of your own life? The illusion of free will says that our choices are determined by factors greater than our intentions and actions, that total conscious control is purely an illusion. We may assume that illusions like this have evolved for their usefulness, but most illusions that we experience are actually glitches, says bestselling author Annaka Harris. Take for example the illusion of self – the other side of the illusion of free will coin. We think of ourselves as solid, unchanging entities that move through time and space, separate from the rest of the physical world. This illusion confuses us about our place in nature, and the state of our reality. Harris explores these two illusions and how they shape our everyday experience.About Annaka Harris:Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the forthcoming audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine. She is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. Annaka is the author of the children’s book I Wonder, coauthor of the Mindful Games Activity Cards, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the organization Inner Kids Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ----------------------------------------------------06:30-17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Who will you become during a crisis? | Amanda Ripley

  **How You’ll Really React in a Disaster (And How to Survive)** You think you know how you'd handle a life-or-death crisis—but the truth is, most of us *freeze, delay, or deny* reality when disaster strikes. In this eye-opening episode, we uncover the hidden forces shaping your "disaster personality" and why survival isn't just about bravery—it’s about *preparation and mindset*. From the shocking psychology behind why people ignore alarms to the real reason heroes emerge, we break down the phases of crisis response and how you can train your brain to act *before it’s too late*. Because in a real emergency, hesitation kills. Are you ready? "Humans, like most mammals, tend to shut down in really frightening situations for which they have no training or prior experience. Researchers call it negative panic. People do nothing. They shut down." We all have ideas about how we're gonna behave in a crisis or emergency, but it’s almost never how it actually plays out when we’re faced with a disaster situation, says bestselling author Amanda Ripley. In fact, you have another personality – a ‘disaster personality’ – and it's helpful to understand what it is before you are forced to embody it. Studying human behavior in different disasters across history reveals a huge spectrum of responses. Sometimes people start hysterically screaming, others shut down. Some laugh in the face of a life or death situation. In Ripley’s book, "The Unthinkable," the author followed people who had survived disasters of all kinds, and found that there's a pattern, even across very different contexts, from plane crashes to earthquakes. Almost always, people go through a period of certain emotions. Do you want to learn how to master your disaster response before facing a crisis? Ripley explains how. Timestamps: 00:00: The psychology of surviving a crisis01:20: The crisis pattern01:52: Denial03:06: Deliberation04:54: The decisive moment About Amanda Ripley:Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author, Washington Post contributor, and co-founder of consultancy firm, Good Conflict. Her books include The Smartest Kids in the World, High Conflict, and The Unthinkable. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes --------------------------------06:30-17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• How close are we to finding alien life? | David Kipping

  ### 👽 Are We Alone? — David Kipping’s Cosmic Quest (Fun Summary) 🔭 **We’re the new-age explorers.** Astronomers are mapping **exoplanets**—worlds beyond our solar system. Think of it like Google Maps for the galaxy. 🌍 **Earth twins? Not quite.** Many so-called “Earth-like” planets aren’t as friendly as they seem. Finding real alien life? Tough. **No signal ≠ no aliens.** 🛸 **Where *are* they, though?** Enter the **Fermi Paradox**: If the universe is full of planets, why haven’t we met anyone? Maybe intelligent life is **extremely rare**, or maybe they just don’t want to talk. 🧬 **Life = ???** Nobody agrees on what life *is*. Carbon-based? Self-replicating? What about **AI** or weird alien chemistry? 🧪 **How we search:** - **Biosignatures** = chemical clues in alien atmospheres. - **Technosignatures** = signs of alien tech (like lasers or satellites). 🔢 **Maybe we’re bad at math.** The classic **Drake Equation** multiplies guesses. Kipping says we should *also add* possibilities—there might be many paths to life. 🧼 **Should we shout or stay silent?** Sending signals (METI) might be risky. What if aliens aren’t friendly? But Kipping argues: if we’re visible anyway, **we can’t really hide**. 🛰️ **Aliens might send... Sculpture?** Instead of radio, they could leave **giant space objects** to block starlight in patterns—a cosmic "hello" that lasts forever. 🌌 **In the end:** We’re just getting started. The universe is huge. The hunt for alien life is a **long game**, and we’re only in inning one. **🔑 Keywords:** Exoplanets, Alien Life, Intelligent Civilizations, Fermi Paradox, Drake Equation, Technosignatures, Biosignatures, Space Exploration, SETI, METI, David Kipping, Astrobiology, Extraterrestrial Intelligence, Life Beyond Earth, Interstellar Communication, Cosmic Silence, Earth-like Planets, Habitability, Exoplanet Detection, Deep Space Signals, Alien Megastructures, Scientific Curiosity, Rare Earth Hypothesis, Great Filter, Cosmic Perspective, AI and Alien Life, Astronomy, Planetary Science Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ---------------------------------------------------06:30-17 ---------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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