Once upon a time, French philosopher Henri Bergson was the most celebrated public intellectual in the world. People stood in long lines just to get a glimpse of his lectures. He took the culture by storm, and had enormous influence on early 20th century thought across multiple fields. Then, Europe descended into war, the zeitgeist changed, and little by little he faded away. And in a post-war modernist, materialistic age, there just wasn't been much room for this unique philosopher of c...
Apr 9, 2025
1 hr 2 min
On this episode of Thinking Ahead, we return to the fascinating subject of UFOs, or UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon) as they are sometimes called. I've already done a couple of podcasts on this topic (if you’d like a more introductory episode, I’d recommend listening to my interview with journalist Ross Coulthart). This conversation ventures down the UFO rabbit hole with author and journalist Keith Thompson, who has written two books on the subject, including his most recent&nbs...
Oct 24, 2024
1 hr 42 min
Regular listeners of this podcast may know that I have a special affinity for cats—house cats, certainly, but also the magnificent wild cats that still roam the American West. So when I learned recently that in my home state of Colorado, it’s still legal for trophy hunters to shoot hundreds of these beautiful creatures every year, I was horrified. Thankfully, Colorado’s big cats have a formidable champion in their corner: longtime animal welfare activist and author Wayne Pacelle. Wayne is one...
Oct 2, 2024
1 hr 8 min
John Mackey, cofounder of Whole Foods Market, is one of the great entrepreneurs of our time. But the story of how he built the iconic grocery store is just one thread in the tapestry of his rich and interesting life, which he discusses candidly in his recent memoir The Whole Story. This fascinating tale spans his remarkable life and career, from his Texas childhood to his spiritual breakthroughs, from his hiking adventures to his psychedelic experimentation, and from a humble Austin health fo...
Sep 18, 2024
2 hr 7 min
Today, we are in the middle of a sea change in the perception and use of psychedelics unlike anything that has occurred in recent decades and probably going back many centuries, at least in Western history. In fact, one probably has to go back to the early Christian era to see psychedelics so commonly used and accessible. And while there are a lot of great books that have been written on the subject over the last five decades, it's not easy to find a good general overview that is fully contem...
Aug 30, 2024
1 hr 54 min
On this episode of Thinking Ahead, we’re discussing one of my favorite subjects, evolution. Bobby Azarian is a cognitive neuroscientist, a science journalist, and a true evolutionary. His book The Romance of Reality explores the evolution of the universe and life, purpose, complexity, and consciousness with rich vision that far transcends the all-to-common reductionistic view. I’m always interested in visions of evolution that open up new pathways for people to appreciate the magnificent jour...
May 29, 2024
1 hr 36 min
The topic of race is never far from our lips when we are talking about the American experience. And yet, the complexities, confusions, minefields, and missteps that often confront those who work to overcome America’s racial legacy can make this a subject that people shy away from. That’s why my guest today is such a breath of fresh air. He’s taken the opposite approach, exploring issues of race and diversity head on, and deeply incorporating them into his own work in the consulting world. As ...
Jul 1, 2023
1 hr 19 min
Too often, the questions that we ask about our own time-period reflect a limited understanding of history. For example, consider the question: why is there still poverty and inequality? It’s a worthy question, but an even better one might be: How did so many societies, against all odds and without historical precedent, escape poverty and become wealthy? How have we come so far in our attempt to escape the "nasty, short and brutish" existence of our ancestors? Instead of just focusing on what ...
Feb 28, 2023
1 hr 15 min
Steve McIntosh is already a regular guest on this podcast, and that’s no accident. Steve and I have been collaborating for many years, and we even cofounded the Institute for Cultural Evolution almost a decade ago. Steve is the President of the think tank and continues to build it, even as he releases important intellectual content, including his writings, books, talks, various podcast appearances. The subject of this dialogue is a significant one—it’s on human nature. Does it evolve? Or is i...
Jan 22, 2023
1 hr 15 min
As my regular listeners will know, I’m deeply influenced by the perspective known as Integral philosophy, and in particular, the insights it affords us into how human culture has evolved—and is still evolving today. This perspective informs the conversations I have on this podcast, to one degree or another. But every now and again, I get the opportunity to welcome a guest who is deeply versed in this philosophy, and we get to have a conversation that more explicitly and directly explores the ...
Jan 10, 2023
1 hr 37 min
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