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Devil’s Advocate

24 episodes

Our experts make the best argument against themselves, and then explain why that stance is less convincing than their own.

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All Episodes (24)

Cursor pointing at a button labeled "Generate jobs" with an icon of a photo and sparkles.

The surprising data on AI and unemployment rates

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4 min

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with

Joseph Politano

Fragmented image of the U.S. flag with white stars on a blue background and red and beige stripes, resembling weathered paint on a wall.

The one temptation to resist post-election: Good vs. evil

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4 min

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with

Microscopic view of a translucent, spiral-shaped Trichinella spiralis larva within a blue-stained muscle tissue.

What are the consequences of living as a human in an “always on” digital world?

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5 min

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with

Yuval Noah Harari

The overpopulation myth, debunked by a data scientist

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7 min

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with

Three red dice in mid-roll on a green surface.

Debunking the ‘billionaire = genius’ myth

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6 min

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with

A white lotus flower on a black background.

The most important idea in Zen Buddhism for today’s world

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5 min

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with

Robert Waldinger

A broken glass with the words contradictory ideas.

Have a controversial idea? Good. Here’s why you should share it.

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6 min

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with

The words boost your brain on a yellow background.

Could your workout routine give your brain a boost? This neuroscientist thinks so

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4 min

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with

A man in a tie is holding a tissue to his face.

How do you rationalize your unethical behaviors?

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4 min

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with

Kelly Richmond Pope

two hands reaching for each other on a black background.

I study longevity. Here’s the code science needs to crack.

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4 min

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with

a painting of two swans swimming in a lake.

Monogamy: How Christian sexual ethics took over the world

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5 min

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with

a pink brain with the words extend your mind.

The critical productivity skill nobody teaches you

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4 min

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with

Is science about to end?

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5 min

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with

Sabine Hossenfelder

How to use note-taking for crystal clear focus

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4 min

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with

The surprising reason secrets destroy us

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3 min

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with

Michael Slepian

Debate world champion: Why agreement is overrated

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4 min

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with

Why psychedelics are “freakishly safe”

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5 min

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with

Matthew W. Johnson

How to make space for “longpath” thinking

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4 min

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with

Debunking one of the Metaverse’s biggest myths

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5 min

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with

3 free will arguments, explained by physicist Sean Carroll

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7 min

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with

The case for and against cryptocurrency

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4 min

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with

Are near-death experiences just dreams or hallucinations?

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with

Dr. Bruce Greyson

Happiness study

The 2 biggest misconceptions about happiness

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3 min

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with

Fascist politics

Devil’s Advocate: Why worry about fascism?

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3 min

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with

Related

Michio Kaku wants to solve Einstein’s unfinished equation

“An equation, perhaps no more than one inch long, that would allow us to, quote, “Read the mind of God.””

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01:08:41 min

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with

A red flower with a green stem and leaf drawn using overlapping scribbled lines on a black background.

Anxiety gives you an advantage. Unlock it with neuroplasticity

“Anxiety is focused on things that are important to you in life. That is the key.”

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18 min

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with

Illustration of a brain with highlighted regions overlaid on a close-up image of blue synapses and neurons, representing neural communication.

How and why your memories shift over time, explained by neuroscience

Your brain changes when you experience something, and it changes again when you remember it. Two neuroscientists explain what that means for memory, perception, and identity.

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3 min

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with

A split image showing the left half of a woman's face and the right half as a digital brain with neural connections and data waves.

Trauma, healing, and your nervous system explained

Three doctors break down brain function, somatic awareness, and how to recover from bad experiences.

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7 min

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with

This one essential trait begins shaping us seconds after birth

What if emotional regulation isn’t just a trait, but a skill parents and teachers can help develop? Ethan Kross reveals what science says about shaping young minds.

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3 min

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with