unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc
Episodes
251. Combining Science and Technology for Growth feat. Joel Mokyr
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometime in the 18th century, the world began to grow at much faster rate. Economic Historians have debated the reasons for this Industrial Revolution...
250. Tackling ‘Big History’ feat. Ian Morris
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When most historians set out to write a book, they choose a particular point in history to dive deep into. But Ian Morris prefers to write about histo...
249. Getting the Right Results from Incentives feat. Uri Gneezy
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Humans respond to incentives just like any other animal, but it’s important to make sure to use the right incentive to get the results that you desi...
248. Unlocking Innovation feat. Jeremy Utley
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When we think about the greatest innovators of our time (Benjamin Franklin, Steve Jobs, Frank Lloyd Wright) we often hear about their work ethic. But ...
247. Game Theory in Everyday Actions feat. Moshe Hoffman and Erez Yoeli
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Can ordinary symbolic human behavior be analyzed through the lens of game theory the same way that the economic behavior can?? What similarities show ...
246. Network Revolutions: Old and New feat. Tom Wheeler
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The evolution of Networks has been characterized by periodic technological revolutions that result in accelerated dispersion of information and new id...
245. Mental Illness Throughout History feat. Andrew Scull
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Psychiatry has been called the stepchild of medicine, experiencing far less progress than care of the body. Andrew Scull, a sociology professor at th...
244. Land of the Free but Not the Free Markets feat. Thomas Philippon
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Competition drives down prices, makes it hard to collude on prices, and keeps any one company from taking excessive profits, but the fewer players the...
243. Culture as Human Super Power in Evolution feat. Lesley Newson and Peter Richerson
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The classic image of evolution everyone knows is the man who goes from apelike body to tool using biped. But the bigger, story would include families,...
242. Fixing Economics with Insights from Other Sciences feat. George Cooper
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How did we get to the financial crisis of 2008? Where were the signs, and what did we miss? For these questions and more, we turn to the person who wr...
241. The Role of Emotions in History feat. Jon Elster
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most history books explain the details of events and provide well-researched context to these events. But history isn’t just about what happened, it...
240. From Capitalism To Talentism - Today’s Key Competitive Advantage feat. Edward Conard
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In recent decades there has been a major restructuring of the economy from capital-intensive manufacturing to knowledge-intensive, innovation-driven f...
239. Chasing Curiosity in Science and Philosophy feat. Dani Bassett and Perry Zurn
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The brain is a curious thing, but how does curiosity happen in it? Where does curiosity begin, and what does that process look like? Curiosity does qu...
238. Walling Versus Bridging feat. Glenn Hubbard
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Growth is good but creates losers as well as winners. The Economics profession has far too often failed to provide insight into how to design policie...
237. The Science Of Taste feat. John McQuaid
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the last 30 years, there has been an explosion in the diversity of cuisine. But while there are more diverse and healthier food choices available t...
236. Cleanliness, Purity, Health and Culture feat. James Hamblin
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When is clean too clean? And what science connects how we treat our skin with common skin conditions? While the virtues of cleanliness may seem to flo...
235. Fear, Emotional Recognition, and Empathy feat. Abigail Marsh
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fear is a common and important human emotion that we’ve all experienced at some time. But have you ever paid attention to how you react to fear in o...
234. How Middlemen Dominate The Economy feat. Kathryn Judge
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Whether we are talking about food, clothing, or financial products, the supply chains which convert the raw materials to finished goods are getting mo...
233. Changing How You Change Your Mind feat. David McRaney
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when two sides are in disagreement and both think they are right? How do you change a mind? Some tactics can be persuasive, but others ca...
232. Cancer, Cooperation, and Cheating feat. Athena Aktipis
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
All multicellular organisms face the risk of cancer cells developing and growing. When these cells work together and cooperate they can create new pro...
231. Pandemics and Public Health feat. Mark Woolhouse
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In February 2020, Mark Woolhouse, a UK epidemiologist, called the Chief Medical Officer of Scotland. Mark wanted to talk to the leader about what the ...
230. Using Literature to Know Ourselves feat. Leonard Barkan
04 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When we read fiction, our brains are able to suspend our awareness of the fiction so we can fully immerse ourselves in the story we’re reading. When...
229. Demography: A Window Into History feat. Paul Morland
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What drives fertility? What drives mortality? What drives migration? These are some of the questions that drive the field of demography. Paul Morland...
228. Design for a Better World feat. Donald A. Norman
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Design is the science of the artificial, but what makes for good design? Everything designed is man-made, but not everything man-made is designed. Th...
227. The Mysterious World of Bankruptcy Law feat. Doug Baird
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bankruptcy law and laws that govern corporate restructures play an important role in our economy. How a business moves forward after declaring bankrup...
226. Beauty Lessons From the Animal Kingdom feat. Michael J. Ryan
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What can the study of animals tell us about beauty? How can the mate choices of birds or frogs give us insight into human attraction? As a part of the...
225. Create Your Own Luck feat. Christian Busch
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine yourself at a dinner party filled with people you don’t know. As you head to the appetizer tray to get another snack, there’s someone alre...
224. The Changing Definition of Mental Illness feat. Allan Horwitz
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most people fail to realize how much the process of what we regard as normal, healthy, or sick is influenced by social, cultural, political, or financ...
223. There Are No Magic Bullets in Economic Development feat. Stefan Dercon
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take for a developing economy to grow and thrive? There are many obstacles that stand in the way, but they can be overcome with the knowl...
222. Scrutinizing Evidence feat. Frederick Schauer
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We use evidence in many areas of our world: courtrooms, scientific laboratories, and legislative bodies that create policies. But the evidence in thes...
221. Free Will’s Boundaries and Paradoxes feat. Alfred Mele
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is free will, and how can it be both tested and defined? How do you know where the line is between what is your choice, what is compelled, and wh...
220. Opting Children Out of Competition feat. Matt Feeney
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does competition always make you stronger, or does it subtly shape far too much of life throughout childhood and beyond. Society is now shaping itself...
219. Motivation Dos and Don’ts feat. Ayelet Fishbach
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you motivate yourself? What works in motivating others? Do you turn to the stick, the carrot, or a combination of both? These age-old questions...
218. Strategizing for Work and Life feat. Dorie Clark
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The world seems to be moving faster and faster but there is always a need to plan for the longer arc of life. Having a strategy lets you set short goa...
217. Anticipating Shifting Environments in Economics feat. Paul Ormerod
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Economists have been harshly criticized for their response to the recent financial crisis and the pandemic. Yet, they are willing to adapt to changing...
216. Loss, Discovery, and Being Wrong feat. Kathryn Schulz
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The trauma of loss is inevitable, but there are things that can be done to consciously prepare for and deal with things we lose in life. They are also...
215. Managing Uncertainty feat. John Kay
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The behavior of business practitioners is often driven by the defunct theories of economists. But to some extent all theories and models come with lim...
214. Spiritual Enlightenment and Solace in an Age of Disenchantment feat. Anthony Kronman
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s remarkable,how driven we are to set goals for ourselves that we're incapable of attaining. But we're not doomed to be disenchanted; Instead, we...
213. How the Food Giants Hooked Us feat. Michael Moss
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s no secret that the nature of our food has been changed quite dramatically by big food companies in the last 50 years. This is just one of the t...
212. Fostering Innovation Within Organizations feat. Safi Bahcall
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Innovation is a crucial part for organizations to stay ahead of their competitors, adapt to changing circumstances in the environment and create long-...
211. Corporate Influence and the Economy feat. Luigi Zingales
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s world, corporate lobbying is everywhere. Corporations wield immense power over our economy and use their economic clout to influence poli...
210. Recovering Our Lost Nutritional Wisdom feat. Mark Schatzker
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to nutrition, conventional wisdom suggeststhat we are at the mercy of an unhinged appetite and an addiction to calories. But as science ...
209. Developing Non-Violent Conflict Solutions That Last feat. Chris Blattman
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While wars and other violent conflicts dominate the news, it is easy to overlook that the majority of conflicts are actually resolved peacefully. In h...
208. Psychological Safety and the Benefits of Discomfort feat. Todd Kashdan
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Clinical psychologists like Todd Kashdan are in many ways the philosophers of our time, digging into what it is that makes for a fulfilling and happy ...
207. There Are Many Ways To Raise A Child feat. Dana Suskind
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Recognized as a national thought leader in early language development, Dr. Dana Suskind has dedicated her research and clinical life to optimizing fou...
206. The Evolution of Human Exercise feat. Daniel Lieberman
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If exercise is so healthy, then why do many people dislike or avoid it? So much of our modern lives is sedentary, it’s more important than ever to g...
205. Developing a Jurisprudence of Forgiveness. feat. Martha Minow
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Martha Minow has taught at Harvard Law School since 1981, where her courses include civil procedure, constitutional law, fairness and privacy, family ...
204. What Economics Is and What It Should Be feat. Diane Coyle
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How can you be both interdisciplinary and be a contributing specialist in your discipline in this day andage? It's a core theme of this podcast, as we...
203. Upholding the Tradition of Hume for the 21st Century feat. Julian Baggini
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No one will accuse our next guest of doing philosophy in an isolated fashion. Julian Baggini is a writer and philosopher, and currently the Director o...
202. The Business of Venture Capital feat. Mahendra Ramsinghani
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Since its initial publication, “The Business of Venture Capital” has been hailed as the definitive, most comprehensive book on the subject. In its...
201. How Do We Know What People Really Want? feat. Eric Johnson
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Every time we make a choice, our minds go through an elaborate process most of us never even notice. We’re influenced by subtle aspects of the way t...
200. The Golden Age of Persuasion feat. Robert Cialdini
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career conducting scientific research on what leads people to say “Yes” to requests and appeals. The res...
199. At What Point Does Something Become Fake? feat. Lydia Pyne
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lydia Pyne’s work may loosely be called history, but it's really a combination of the sciences and the humanities. It's a reflection on how we make ...
198. The Politics of Innovation feat. Mark Zachary Taylor
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Innovation seems to occur at uneven rates across different countries. At a time when we’re so intimately connected in all fields and industries, its...
197. Finding Fascination in the Mundane feat. Bruce Hood
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You may not believe it, but there is a link between our current political instability and your childhood attachment to teddy bears. There's also a rea...
196. What Would A Manual For Civilization Look Like? feat. Lewis Dartnell
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Having a background in planetary science gives our guest an interesting perspective on the world. In his work, Lewis can tie together things like the ...
195. Creating Curriculum for Leaders in Training feat. John Hennessy
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a podcast called unSILOed, you really can’t think of a more perfect guest than John Hennessy. From being a founder of a company, to a scholar, t...
194. Status and The Games We Play feat. Will Storr
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The minute you walk into an elevator, everybody is immediately sizing up each other to figure out who is high and low status. When you're driving down...
193. Racial Disparities in Housing and Education feat. Rick Sander
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Well, Rick Sander has been working on questions of social and economic inequality for nearly all of his career. From being an activist in Chicago back...
192. The Rise of Superbug Infections and the new therapies that might kill them feat. Steffanie Strathdee
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee and her husband, psychologist Tom Patterson, were vacationing in Egypt when Tom came down with a stomach bug. What ...
191. How We Form Societies feat. Mark Moffett
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When trying to figure out how to understand humans, we tend to look to our nearest neighbors: bonobos, chimps, and monkeys. But our guest Mark Moffett...
190. What Animal Behavior Can Tell Us About Humans feat. Lee Dugatkin
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lee Dugatkin is a professor of biology at the University of Louisville and the author of many books, including what Greg calls one of the seminal text...
189. Becoming a Changemaker feat. Alex Budak
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Alex Budak first started his course “Becoming a Changemaker” at UC Berkeley, he had to turn students away because it was too popular. This c...
188. What Happened To Liberal Arts Education? feat. Roosevelt Montas
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Its no surprise to anyone in academia that the liberal arts and humanities are in crisis. Liberal arts colleges are closing down, departments are clos...
187. What Does It Mean To Be Virtuous Now? feat. Christian Miller
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Character is a uniquely human feature, based on questions of agency, responsibility, free will and choice. But what qualifies as good or bad character...
Against Fairness feat. Stephen Asma
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Its difficult to describe the work our guest Stephen Asma does, falling at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, religion, and study of the emot...
Business School and Its Relevance to Modern Society feat. Philip Delves Broughton
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Philip Delves Broughton was a news journalist before going to business school. And he ended up continuing his career as a writer since leaving. Now, t...
What Dating and Sports can Teach us About Economics feat. Paul Oyer
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You can apply economics to just about anything. Economics provides you with a perspective and a toolbox that enables you to see things that you wouldn...
Toxic Coworkers and What To Do About Them feat. Tessa West
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all had to deal with problematic bosses or coworkers at some point in our career journeys. But the issue is how can you deal with them in a pr...
Rethinking Our Ideas Around “Success” feat. Brad Stulberg
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Has the idea of “peak performance” as the general public sees it, run its course? It seems like nowadays, there is much more of a focus & value pl...
The Psychology of the Arts feat. Ellen Winner
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We don't really question the importance of studying mathematics, or the importance of studying science. We don't even question the importance of athle...
Why Smart Leaders Make Bad Decisions feat. Zachary Shore
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Can we teach leaders to become better strategic decision makers? Our guest Zach Shore says we can. Part of the problem he says is that people get stu...
Choices and Transparency in the American Healthcare System feat. Peter Ubel
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In our guest's latest book “Sick to Debt,” Peter Ubel theorizes whether it is a bigger insult to call someone a doctor or an economist. Well, Pete...
Learning For The Sake of Learning feat. Zena Hitz
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When was the last time you learned something just out of curiosity? Not for school or to advance your career, with no end goal in sight. To learn some...
The Erratic and Chaotic Worlds of Physics and Economics feat. Mark Buchanan
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When the general public thinks about physics, they’re usually thinking about the origins of the universe, quantum theory; other terms that have bled...
The Evolution of Sibling Rivalry feat. Douglas Mock
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sibling rivalry seems to exist in all families, whether human or non-human.. So why would animals want to compete, and maybe even kill their nearest ...
The Constitution of Knowledge feat. Jonathan Rauch
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Its hard to believe that a book like The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth,” hasn't been written before, which surfaces the structures t...
Hunt, Gather, Parent feat. Michaeleen Doucleff
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The science of parenting…isn't really a science. It's a lot of myths and advice and stories from elder generations. But let's think about where we a...
Beliefs Are Real For Those Who Hold Them feat. Agustín Fuentes
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Belief” as a word can take on so many meanings. Most people only think about it in terms of religion. But our guest says belief plays a central r...
Bernoulli’s Fallacy: Statistical Illogic and the Crisis of Modern Science feat. Aubrey Clayton
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Greg says our guest's book, “Bernoulli’s Fallacy: Statistical Illogic and the Crisis of Modern Science” is “a bombshell in a sense,” making ...
We Must Stay Curious feat. Ian Leslie
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The last time you had a definitive question about something: an actor in that movie, or maybe something your friend did at a party last week. Did you ...
Understanding Human Creativity feat. Marcus du Sautoy
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As machine learning and AI mature and adapt to the humans that created them, it's important we think carefully about not only what is creativity, but...
It’s Never Too Late To Examine Your Philosophy of Life feat. Massimo Pigliucci
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Greg found out that Massimo Pigliucci had a PhD in biology and a PhD in philosophy, he knew that this was somebody he had to get on the show.Mas...
The Surprising History of How We Are Born feat. Tina Cassidy
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Tina Cassidy set out to write her book “Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born,”in 2006, it was the first time in about 50 years an...
So, ARE Corporations Really People Too? feat. Adam Winkler
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It was August 2011 when Mitt Romney famously told a crowd at the Iowa State Fair, "corporations are people, my friend." Corporations have had what you...
The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating feat. David Buss
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
David Buss is one of the founders of the field of evolutionary psychology, currently at the University of Texas at Austin. His primary research focus...
Overcoming Addiction with Curiosity feat. Judson Brewer
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it's smoking cigarettes or mindlessly buying things on Amazon, breaking bad habits can be incredibly difficult. Judson Brewer, MD, Ph.D. or “...
The Power Of Mathematical Thinking feat. Jordan Ellenberg
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jordan Ellenberg is the first official mathematician we’ve had on the show, but his work weaves through many different domains. Afterall, whether it...
Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World feat. Iddo Landau
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We've covered a lot of ground in 163 episodes of unSILOed. We’ve dug into topics like economics, psychology, biology, and many many more. So today w...
Science is Littered With Failure feat. Stuart Firestein
15 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's a bit of a theme when it comes to Stuart Firestein’s books, with titles like “Failure: Why Science Is So Successful,” and “Ignorance: ...
Framing, Re-Framing, and Perspective Taking feat. Kenneth Cukier
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With all of the recent advances in machine learning, what’s left for us humans to do? Well, according to Ken Cukier, there is plenty: humans have no...
Game Theory and the Art of Transforming Strategic Situations feat. David McAdams
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to game theory, the stories we tell can be incredibly powerful, because it's not enough to just analyze a situation and come up with wh...
In Defense of Genetic Engineering feat. Beth Shapiro
08 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are many many opinions on how genetic engineering is affecting the future. But Beth Shapiro has an optimistic view of how humans seem to be much...
Why Our Teeth Don't Fit in Our Mouths feat. Alex Bezzerides
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From bad teeth to appendix surgeries, it seems like our bodies are breaking down in modern times. So how has society and evolution changed how our bod...
Science Denial and the Scientific Attitude feat. Lee McIntyre
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What exactly is science? It's something that philosophers have grappled with quite a bit. Well, the good news is that you don't have to have a philos...
Is Aging a Disease? feat. Sue Armstrong
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We all know the diseases associated with aging: cancer, heart disease, dementia. But what if they are just symptoms of and the disease is aging itself...
Why Religion is Natural feat. Robert McCauley
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Robert McCauley is the Kenan University Professor of Philosophy at Emory University with associated appointments in psychology, religion, and anthropo...
The Political Origins of Banking Crises feat. Charles Calomiris
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In economics and in finance, we're always trying to tease out timeless rules of how markets work. And yet, when we look out in the world, there's a lo...
How Finance Made Civilization Possible feat. William Goetzmann
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's a bold claim. And people outside of financial history might wonder how this could possibly be true.Will Goetzmann will elaborate on this claim in...
The Power of the Humanities feat. Christian Madsbjerg
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
At the core of his latest book, Christian Madsbjerg argues that business people focus too much on what we might call the “thin data” and ignore th...