Dr. Rangan Chatterjee

So there would have been a time in history where saying the world is spherical, people would probably call you crazy, right?

So even what qualifies as a fact

I think we need to sometimes soften our viewpoint of facts.

Of course, some things are objective.

I'm not disputing that, but I think what happens when you start to update your beliefs is that you take a much softer approach to the world.

You're less fixed in your viewpoint.

You're more able to update things, even facts.

Like, I don't know, as a doctor,

In the 70s and 80s, we thought antibiotics were amazing, bacteria were bad.

That was a fact back then.

Bacteria are bad, antibiotics kill them.

And then we've learned over the years, well, wait a minute, there's a ton of bacteria in our guts that are actually really good.

So that used to be a fact, but actually it was a belief that we've now updated.

Do you see what I'm saying?

Yeah, me too.

I love this study.

I freaking love this study.

How does that apply, let's say, if someone...

wants to do a marathon?

You know, they're a sort of recreational runner and they sign up for a challenge to do a marathon.