David Eagleman

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.

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.

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.

Yeah, exactly. But even more, you know, a marriage contract you can break also, but the key with Ulysses' contracts is you really want to make them unbreakable. Here's just a couple examples. For example, in Alcoholics Anonymous, the first thing they have you do is clear all the alcohol out of your house. Because even if somebody feels like, hey, look, I'm done.

Yeah, exactly. But even more, you know, a marriage contract you can break also, but the key with Ulysses' contracts is you really want to make them unbreakable. Here's just a couple examples. For example, in Alcoholics Anonymous, the first thing they have you do is clear all the alcohol out of your house. Because even if somebody feels like, hey, look, I'm done.

Yeah, exactly. But even more, you know, a marriage contract you can break also, but the key with Ulysses' contracts is you really want to make them unbreakable. Here's just a couple examples. For example, in Alcoholics Anonymous, the first thing they have you do is clear all the alcohol out of your house. Because even if somebody feels like, hey, look, I'm done.

I'm not going to drink, but I'll leave those things in case I have a party or whatever. They know that on some, you know, festive Friday night or a lonely Sunday night or something, you might, okay. So you get rid of it so that the temptation can't be there. Or with drug addiction programs, First thing they tell you is, look, don't ever walk around with more than 20 bucks in your pocket.

I'm not going to drink, but I'll leave those things in case I have a party or whatever. They know that on some, you know, festive Friday night or a lonely Sunday night or something, you might, okay. So you get rid of it so that the temptation can't be there. Or with drug addiction programs, First thing they tell you is, look, don't ever walk around with more than 20 bucks in your pocket.

I'm not going to drink, but I'll leave those things in case I have a party or whatever. They know that on some, you know, festive Friday night or a lonely Sunday night or something, you might, okay. So you get rid of it so that the temptation can't be there. Or with drug addiction programs, First thing they tell you is, look, don't ever walk around with more than 20 bucks in your pocket.

Because even if you think you're over it, at some point, someone's going to offer you drugs. And if you've got the money, you might spend it. So there's a million ways that we can make these kinds of contracts with ourselves. And the reason it's important is because what we're doing is setting up some kind of higher order ideal. Yeah. And I know you think about this in terms of religion.

Because even if you think you're over it, at some point, someone's going to offer you drugs. And if you've got the money, you might spend it. So there's a million ways that we can make these kinds of contracts with ourselves. And the reason it's important is because what we're doing is setting up some kind of higher order ideal. Yeah. And I know you think about this in terms of religion.

Because even if you think you're over it, at some point, someone's going to offer you drugs. And if you've got the money, you might spend it. So there's a million ways that we can make these kinds of contracts with ourselves. And the reason it's important is because what we're doing is setting up some kind of higher order ideal. Yeah. And I know you think about this in terms of religion.