unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc

551. The Math Mindset and How to be Math-ish feat. Jo Boaler

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is the role of active versus passive learning for math? How would data science become an avenue of math study for high school students and why is...

550. The Power of Uncertainty: Embracing the Unknown for Growth and Success feat. Maggie Jackson

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is ‘good stress’ and what are the benefits of it? How does an upbringing in uncertainty prepare you in some ways better for the world than ot...

549. Leadership Dynamics: Perspectives on Power and Ethics feat. Adam Galinsky

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can the leadership power be wielded for both good and ill? How can leaders use their influence more ethically and effectively, and why is that imp...

548. The Language of Painting with Martin Gayford

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There have been periods throughout history when cultural aficionados of the time proclaimed that painting was dead! Yet, the artform has risen over an...

547. Exploring Midlife and Living Well Through Philosophy feat. Kieran Setiya

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is the intrinsic link between philosophical inquiry and personal development? How can academic thought and theory be applied well to practical li...

546. The Intersection of Historical Consciousness and Strategic Thinking feat. John Lewis Gaddis

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does strategy factor into the mindsets of presidents like Lincoln and Reagan on both a micro and macro level? What parts of grand strategy are at ...

545. The Psychological Impact of Living With Social Inequality with Keith Payne

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Contrary to popular belief – making more money doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be happier in life. The same can be said for societies as a whole...

544. A Philosophical Approach to the Question of Childbearing with Anastasia Berg

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When did the idea of parenthood become less of a certainty and more of a choice? How have anxieties about the modern world impacted our desire to proc...

543. The Freedom of an Uncertain World with Margaret Heffernan

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How is our fear of uncertainty holding us back? Could an acceptance and willingness to embrace the unknown unlock new potential and innovation?  Mar...

542. The Modern Challenges of Aerospace, Automation, and Enlightenment feat. David A. Mindell

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is there a need for a cultural and educational shift towards appreciating, building, and maintaining industrial systems? What would a rebirth of m...

541. The Ingredients That Make Up Human and Artificial Educability with Leslie Valiant

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to learn something? While many living things have the capacity for learning, humans have taken this ability to unmatched levels. Our...

540. How Originalism and Libertarianism Changed the Legal Landscape with Randy E. Barnett

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to go from a criminal prosecutor to a pioneer of the “originalism” movement and one of the top constitutional law scholars in Am...

539. Contemporary Culture and the Battle with the Past feat. Frank Furedi

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is historical awareness so important in order to form a strong personal identity? What are the risks of a culture overly centered on safety and fr...

538. Bankruptcy, Inequality, and the Quest for Fairness feat. Melissa B. Jacoby

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the broader implications of specialized bankruptcy courts on the U.S. legal system? How are bankruptcies being used and misused by debtors an...

537. Breaking Down Feminism: A Critique of The Movement's Impact on Women feat. Carrie Gress

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the consequences of feminist ideals on modern women? How have they affected the work-life balance, the denigration of motherhood, and the que...

536. The Role of Judgment in Literature and Aesthetic Education feat. Michael W. Clune

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What have we lost when the expert aesthetic judgement of professors and literary critics is replaced by the marketplace and bestseller lists? How can ...

535. How Evolutionary Psychology Can Inform Marketing, the Social Sciences, and the Denial of Science with Dr. Gad Saad

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

According to today’s guest, “ You can't study anything involving any creature, let alone human beings, let alone human beings in a business sett...

534. The Evolving Role of Christianity in American Democracy feat. Jonathan Rauch

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why would religion be necessary for a liberal democracy to function fully as intended? What benefits does Christianity provide to society in tandem wi...

533. A Behind-the-Curtain Peek at the AI Revolution with Gary Rivlin

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The AI transformation of our world has already begun, and Silicon Valley has positioned itself to be home base. But how did the AI takeover happen so ...

532. Beyond Happiness: Delving into Psychological Richness feat. Shigehiro Oishi

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is the benefit of adventure, the role of adversity, and the importance of narrative in shaping one’s experience of happiness? What are the larg...

531. Cultural Engineering: Reclaiming Tribalism for Collective Growth feat. Michael Morris

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to belong to a tribe? How does cultural psychology offer insight into politics, organizational behavior, and leadership? How does tr...

530. The Roots of An ‘Awokening’ with Musa al-Gharbi

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The term “woke” might be modern, but woke movements have been going on throughout history. And while an “awokening” is meant to further equali...

529. Fixing Systems, Not People: What Works With Equality feat. Iris Bohnet

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does a workplace look like where everyone can thrive and flourish? Once we know the makeup of that space, how can companies work to achieve it? W...

528. How Big Data Has Transformed Personalization with Sandra Matz

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are the algorithms that exist in our daily lives getting so smart that they know us better than our parents or our spouses? How do we balance the conv...

527. Inoculating Yourself Against Misinformation with Sander van der Linden

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If critical thinking is the equivalent to daily exercise and eating a good diet, then today’s guest has the vaccine for misinformation viruses. San...

526. Beyond Problem Solving: Philosophy and the Quest for Understanding feat. Agnes Callard

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are ‘untimely questions’ and why do they become common blind spots in philosophy? Why is philosophy a team sport?? How does Moore’s paradox...

525. ‘Design Thinking’ As The Ultimate Integrator with Barry Katz

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Behind every great invention is an engineer who figured out how to make it work. But how do you take an extremely technical, cutting-edge innovation a...

524. Business Strategy: Beyond the Numbers feat. Freek Vermeulen

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can shake organizations out of the cycle of doing things the way they have always been done because that’s the way they have always been done? ...

523. AI as a Colleague, Not a Replacement with Ethan Mollick

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s official: AI has arrived and, from here on out, will be a part of our world. So how do we begin to learn how to coexist with our new artificial...

522. How The Invention of Choice Unlocked Freedom with Sophia Rosenfeld

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How much has our understanding of choice evolved throughout history? And what has that invention meant to how we experience and acknowledge freedom? ...

521. The Vital Role of Talent Development in Business with Bill Conaty

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How important is it for business leaders to not only identify talent within their organization, but to take meaningful action to actually develop that...

520. Debunking The Biggest Migration Myths with Hein de Haas

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Contrary to popular belief, global migration levels have remained relatively stable. So why has it become such a hot button issue on the political wor...

519. Why Some Public Debt Is Good for the Economy with Barry Eichengreen

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As conversation swirls around how the U.S. is going to pay back its $30 trillion debt, old concerns about public debt have been raised once again.Barr...

518. Nurturing a Growth Mindset to Transform Individuals and Organizations feat. Mary C. Murphy

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the ramifications of holding a fixed mindset over a growth mindset? How does it alter the mechanics of the people within a company and what c...

517. Exploring the Intersection of Media and Science feat. Faye Flam

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the problems facing academic journals today? What changes to the system could be made to address them? How could being more open about studie...

516. Demystifying The Origins of Language with Steven Mithen

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When did humans learn to communicate through language? Did it coincide with the invention of fire? Or was it more a gradual process that involved much...

515. Reinventing Legacy Companies and Navigating Tech's Impact feat. Vivek Wadhwa

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can Legacy companies transform themselves to compete with Startups? What lessons can be learned from the different ways legacy companies Microsoft...

514. Embracing and Growing Through Failure with John Danner

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it time to drastically change the way we think about failure? What if failure is the key to success? John Danner is a faculty member at UC Berkele...

513. Harnessing AI and Experimentation in Startups feat. Jeffrey J. Bussgang

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the ways founders are using AI to experiment and optimize their start-ups faster than ever before? How does this shift affect the various mak...

512. Anthropomorphizing in the Age of AI with Webb Keane

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Given the advancements in technology and AI, how have humans learned to navigate the ever-shifting boundaries of morality in an increasingly complex w...

511. The Impact of Digital Platforms on Work feat. Hatim Rahman

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why are external accountability and thoughtful integration of algorithms necessary now to ensure fairer labor dynamics across work environments? What’...

510. Redefining Personhood in the Age of AI feat. James Boyle

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With AI becoming more advanced every day, what are the ethical considerations of such emerging technologies? How can the way we treat animals and othe...

509. Navigating Uncertainty and the Future of Economics feat. Amar Bhidé

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is the difference between risk and uncertainty? Why does mainstream economics often overlook uncertainty altogether?Amar Bhidé is a professor of...

508. Examining Big Tech's Influence on Democracy feat. Marietje Schaake

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What truly is the relationship between tech giants and government, especially with the recent change of administrations? How does democracy remain at ...

507. Exploring the Dynamics of War feat. Richard Overy

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are the psychological and biological underpinnings of human violence and our collective propensity for war? How important really is leadership in...

506. From Human Logic to Machine Intelligence: Rethinking Decision-Making with Kartik Hosanagar

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The world of decision-making is now dominated by algorithms and automation. But how much has the AI really changed? Haven’t, on some level, humans a...

505. A Deep Dive into Signaling and Market Dynamics feat. Michael Spence

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How is market signaling tied to economic growth, and what will the introduction of AI do to the wave of economic development in the US and abroad? Wil...

504. The Science of Sovereignty and Balancing Happiness with Success feat. Emma Seppälä

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How are happiness and success intertwined when it comes to business? What crucial element do you lose as a company when the boss or the culture become...

503. Unraveling Latin America’s Turbulent Economic History with Sebastián Edwards

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did Chile's economic experiment reshape global economic thinking, and what can it teach us about the future of neoliberalism and populism in Latin...

502. Fraud, Cybernetics, and the Architecture of Unaccountability with Dan Davies

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do our most complex systems—from financial markets to corporate behemoths—consistently produce outcomes that nobody intended, and what forgott...

501. The Philosophical and Ethical Dimensions of Privacy and Surveillance feat. Carissa Véliz

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why have philosophers historically failed to think seriously about privacy? How do invasions of privacy really impact a person? What do we give up whe...

500. The Coders' Mindset and Transformation of Society feat. Clive Thompson

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What effects will generative AI have on coding and software engineering? Will it make anyone a coder? Will it just turn software engineering into copy...

499. The Roots of Modern Economic Growth: How the World Became Rich feat. Mark Koyama

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What more can be learned about a topic like the origins of economic growth that has been covered so extensively? When pulling back and looking at all ...

498. Unlocking the Art of Conversation with Alison Wood Brooks

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We learn the skill of talking as toddlers and by the time we’re adults, most of us don’t think twice about the inner workings of a conversation. B...

497. Spotting The Difference Between AI Innovation and AI Snake Oil feat. Arvind Narayanan

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Where is the line between fact and fiction in the capabilities of AI? Which predictions or promises about the future of AI are reasonable and which ar...

496. Raising Boys in the Age of Gender Politics with Ruth Whippman

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Raising boys in post-MeToo times is beyond challenging. So how do moms balance societal pressures with the desire to raise happy, healthy, and emotion...

495. The Art of Money: Tokens and Technology feat. Rachel O’Dwyer

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What brought about the rise of cryptocurrencies, and whats the difference between tokens and money? How are some of these modern concepts of currency ...

494. The Limits of Liberal Rationalism feat. William Davies

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With more and more data available about each of us all the time, what are the consequences of rapid data-driven decision making by organizations, and ...

493. What Human-Centered AI Looks Like with Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How is artificial intelligence reshaping social dynamics, knowledge sharing, and the workplace in the digital age?Alex “Sandy” Pentland is a fello...

492. The Unnaming of Kroeber Hall - Revisiting the Past and Renaming the Present feat. Andrew Garrett

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does the present reckon with the historical legacies of notable figures of the past? How do you contextualize the actions of people from other gen...

491. How Global Economic Inequality Began with Oded Galor

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When did the gaps in wealth distribution across the globe significantly widen? What is the role of human capital investment?Was the Industrial Revolut...

490. The Notebook’s Mighty Place in History with Roland Allen

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever considered how something as simple as a notebook could shape history?Roland Allen from Thames & Hudson chronicles the substantial history of a hu...

489. The Co-Evolution of Philosophy and Cognitive Science with Mark Johnson

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If meaning is made with our minds, what role does the body play in shaping meaning? How do the studies of philosophy and cognitive science intersect? ...

488. Why AI Is a Bad Hiring Manager with Hilke Schellmann

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For many job seekers today, the first eyes on their application are most likely not human. Companies and recruiters are turning to AI more and more to...

487. Challenging AI’s Capabilities with Gary Marcus

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the last five years, artificial intelligence has exploded but there are a lot of holes in how it works, what it is and is not capable of, and what ...

486. Adapting to Rapid Technological Shifts feat. Azeem Azhar

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Technology changes have always meant business changes, but with technology changing this fast, how long can businesses keep up? How can businesses wor...

485. Understanding Economic Philosophy Through History feat. Margaret Schabas

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How has economic thought evolved throughout the years along with the development of the other modern science disciplines? What is the role of human ag...

484. Design in a Rapidly Changing World feat. Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What are the ethical responsibilities of designers today and what long-term impacts do they need to consider as they design? Who does the label of ‘...

483. Why Physics May Hold the Key to Global Warming with Richard A. Muller

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the world searches for impactful solutions to global warming and energy independence, how important is it for policymakers to understand some level...

482. The Origin of Humanity’s Musical Abilities with Michael Spitzer

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While many species in the world make music, humans have a unique musical ability. In some ways, music might even define what it means to be human. But...

481. The Science and Philosophy of Economics with Erik Angner

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do economics play into solving major global issues like pandemics, climate change, or inequality?Erik Angner is a professor of philosophy at Stock...

480. Beyond IQ: The Real Measure of Wisdom feat. David Robson

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What are the true natures of intelligence and wisdom, and how do they play off each other in sometimes surprising ways? What are the best ways to miti...

479. The Birth of Civilizations: Unpacking a 4,000-Year Global History feat. Josephine Quinn

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At what point did the concept of civilization and civilizations emerge? In what ways  do we know that societies were mingling and exchanging ideas an...

478. The Neuroscience of Perception: Exploring Self, Social Conformity, and Animal Cognition feat. Gregory Berns

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does the sense of self give humans over other animals, and how do our storytelling instincts set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom? Wh...

477. Cultivating Creativity: The Vital Role of Art in Education and Personal Growth feat. Will Gompertz

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does art influence our perception of the world? Can fostering creativity in education lead to overall personal happiness and growth? What lessons ...

476. AI's Potential for Positive Social Change feat. Juan M. Lavista Ferres

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

AI is a fast-growing field full of potential insights, challenges, and ethical implications for its users and the world. How can the people behind the...

475. Unraveling The History of Economic Crises with Harold James

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How have economic crises throughout history shaped the relationships between nations? Which crises had a hand in wars and major global conflicts? Har...

474. Common Sense in the Discourse on Sex and Gender feat. Doriane Lambelet Coleman

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With sex and gender becoming such politicized and polarizing issues recently, what’s a common sense approach to sorting through all the information ...

473. The Evolution of Intelligence with Neil D. Lawrence

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we get better and better at training machines to emulate humans, are there certain aspects of human intelligence that artificial intelligence will ...

472. The Endless Quest to Define Humanity: Exploring Prehistory feat. Stefanos Geroulanos

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Historically, how were narratives used around race, species, and the beliefs of Western civilization? What have been the contemporary implications for...

471. Why It’s Time For Evolutionary Science to Evolve with David P. Mindell

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The long-held dominant narrative about evolution is that it works like a tree. But as science has advanced in the last century, the idea of a family t...

470. Understanding Macroeconomics During Volatile Times with Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When COVID-19 hit, many predictions were made about how the global pandemic would impact the macroeconomy. Some of those predictions were accurate, so...

469. The Importance of Learning by Doing feat. Matt Beane

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How is technology disrupting on-the-job learning? What do we lose from outsourcing the work of novices to technological tools, and what do we gain? Ho...

468. Art Thinking and Innovative Business Models feat. Amy Whitaker

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How important is creative thinking and the fusion of business and art in today's ever-evolving business landscape? What are the challenges of navigati...

467. Understanding Human Behavior in Economics with Vernon L. Smith

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Much of the field of economics derives its theories from a subset of Adam Smith’s philosophy found in the Wealth of Nations. But are economists over...

466. Keeping Science Apolitical with John Staddon

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Just like all people, scientists have their own morals and political ideologies. But how do those values influence their work? What are the potential ...

465. Placebo Power: Mindfulness and Its Impact on Health feat. Ellen J. Langer

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ellen J. Langer is a Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. She is also the author of several books, including The Mindful Body: Thinking Our ...

464. The Digital Age From Your Brain’s POV with Richard Cytowic

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a significant mismatch between our ancient brain's capabilities and the rapid advancements in technology. Simply put, our brains just can’...

463. Forecasting the Future of Energy and AI feat. Mark P. Mills

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When does predicting the future become a science and not a fantasy? What can be learned from forecasts throughout the ages and across different indust...

462. The Science of Management with Nicholas Bloom

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you measure the quality of management at a company? And how much do management practices impact a firm’s overall performance? Nicholas Bloom...

461. The Other Gender Gap with Richard V. Reeves

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Women have been systematically marginalized throughout history. However, new research shows a growing gender gap in the other direction. Today, men ma...

460. Unraveling Start-Up Success with Mike Maples, Jr. and Peter Ziebelman

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a secret recipe for start-up success? Probably not. But if you take a close enough look at some of the massive success stories like Twitter a...

459. From Moon Landings to Magic: Exploring Quirky Psychology feat. Richard Wiseman

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does drawing from experiments and scientists on the fringes of science help all of science and strengthen the core? How does luck actually work? H...

458. The Economics of Addiction with David Courtwright

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are we a more addicted society now than ever before in history? And if that’s the case, is it because there are more things to be addicted to or has...

457. The Origins and Spread of Democracy feat. David Stasavage

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What factors influenced the development of early democracies, the role of technology in governance? Who came up with the concept of fairness in taxati...

456. Economic Growth in the Age of Automation with Carl Benedikt Frey

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The fear of AI taking our jobs has been buzzing for years, but it’s not a new conversation. Technology has been shaking up industries and displacing...

455. How Meritocracy Has Become the New Aristocracy feat. Daniel Markovits

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Discover how the American dream of meritocracy, rather than being a ladder to success,  may actually be fueling inequality, eroding the middle class,...

454. American Childhood From the Frontier to Helicopter Parenting feat. Paula S. Fass

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why have historians often overlooked childhood despite its significance in shaping culture and political views? How did trends in family demographics ...

453. Financial Deals that Shaped the World feat. Paolo Zannoni

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How was the financial world changed by the structured use of wooden sticks with dents in them? Why did silver coins disappear from England as soon as ...

452. The Groundbreaking Case That Changed Sovereign Debt Law with Gregory Makoff

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The thing about sovereign debt is that if a country defaults on its loan, there are no international bankruptcy laws in place to ensure the creditors ...