David Eagleman

That's what makes you, you and me, me, is the way that we let these things win or lose in different circumstances. In other words, All unconsciously, these networks have worked out ways of saying, all right, look, I'm going to let you in here and I'm going to do this. And maybe there's an advantage to letting anger win out in this moment. You know, I find that that works sometimes.

But in this other moment, I know that letting compassion win out is going to be the optimal thing for my marriage or whatever. Yeah. Okay. So there are these things. But what interests me is that... no matter how integrated a personality we think we have, we're constantly in conflict. I mean, every moment of our lives, we think, oh, should I do this or that? Or we're making decisions, right?

But in this other moment, I know that letting compassion win out is going to be the optimal thing for my marriage or whatever. Yeah. Okay. So there are these things. But what interests me is that... no matter how integrated a personality we think we have, we're constantly in conflict. I mean, every moment of our lives, we think, oh, should I do this or that? Or we're making decisions, right?

But in this other moment, I know that letting compassion win out is going to be the optimal thing for my marriage or whatever. Yeah. Okay. So there are these things. But what interests me is that... no matter how integrated a personality we think we have, we're constantly in conflict. I mean, every moment of our lives, we think, oh, should I do this or that? Or we're making decisions, right?

This is what decision-making is about. And so there's a sense in which there's never a stable scenario where we say, okay, look, these guys have figured out how to get along. What I find interesting is ways that we can... put ideas into place like the Ulysses Contract. So are you familiar with Ulysses Contract?

This is what decision-making is about. And so there's a sense in which there's never a stable scenario where we say, okay, look, these guys have figured out how to get along. What I find interesting is ways that we can... put ideas into place like the Ulysses Contract. So are you familiar with Ulysses Contract?

This is what decision-making is about. And so there's a sense in which there's never a stable scenario where we say, okay, look, these guys have figured out how to get along. What I find interesting is ways that we can... put ideas into place like the Ulysses Contract. So are you familiar with Ulysses Contract?

So, okay, just as a, you remember Ulysses Odysseus was coming home from the Trojan War and realized he was going to pass the Island of the Sirens. And he wanted to hear the song of the sirens, but he knew that like any mortal man, he'd crash into the rocks and die. So you remember what he did? He filled his men's ears with beeswax. He had them lash him to the mast.

So, okay, just as a, you remember Ulysses Odysseus was coming home from the Trojan War and realized he was going to pass the Island of the Sirens. And he wanted to hear the song of the sirens, but he knew that like any mortal man, he'd crash into the rocks and die. So you remember what he did? He filled his men's ears with beeswax. He had them lash him to the mast.

So, okay, just as a, you remember Ulysses Odysseus was coming home from the Trojan War and realized he was going to pass the Island of the Sirens. And he wanted to hear the song of the sirens, but he knew that like any mortal man, he'd crash into the rocks and die. So you remember what he did? He filled his men's ears with beeswax. He had them lash him to the mast.

And he said, no matter what I do, just keep on sailing. Okay. what was happening here was that the Ulysses of sound mind way back here knew that the future Ulysses would behave badly when he passed the island. Yes. He knew that there was no way he wasn't going to behave badly there. So what he did is he made a contract with himself.

And he said, no matter what I do, just keep on sailing. Okay. what was happening here was that the Ulysses of sound mind way back here knew that the future Ulysses would behave badly when he passed the island. Yes. He knew that there was no way he wasn't going to behave badly there. So what he did is he made a contract with himself.

And he said, no matter what I do, just keep on sailing. Okay. what was happening here was that the Ulysses of sound mind way back here knew that the future Ulysses would behave badly when he passed the island. Yes. He knew that there was no way he wasn't going to behave badly there. So what he did is he made a contract with himself.

He said, I'm going to lash myself to the master that I can't do the wrong thing. Okay, so this is what philosophers call Ulysses' contract. And I'm fascinated by these because we use these in all kinds of ways in our lives.

He said, I'm going to lash myself to the master that I can't do the wrong thing. Okay, so this is what philosophers call Ulysses' contract. And I'm fascinated by these because we use these in all kinds of ways in our lives.

He said, I'm going to lash myself to the master that I can't do the wrong thing. Okay, so this is what philosophers call Ulysses' contract. And I'm fascinated by these because we use these in all kinds of ways in our lives.

And actually, one of my next books is about this because I think it's the most practical way when you're in a moment of sober reflection to think about, okay, who do I want to be? And how can I establish a Ulysses contract with myself that I can't break? It's an unbreakable kind of contract. And so I'll just give you an example of this. Why were you driven...

And actually, one of my next books is about this because I think it's the most practical way when you're in a moment of sober reflection to think about, okay, who do I want to be? And how can I establish a Ulysses contract with myself that I can't break? It's an unbreakable kind of contract. And so I'll just give you an example of this. Why were you driven...

And actually, one of my next books is about this because I think it's the most practical way when you're in a moment of sober reflection to think about, okay, who do I want to be? And how can I establish a Ulysses contract with myself that I can't break? It's an unbreakable kind of contract. And so I'll just give you an example of this. Why were you driven...

Why were you attracted to the terminology contract? Because it's not something you can break. Because it's not that Ulysses said, okay, tie me to the thing, but leave a little string here that I can pull and let the ropes down or something. It's that he was bound to that mast. He was attached to it and could not get off the mast. Okay, that's the important part. It's like a marriage contract.