Making Sense with Sam Harris - Invalid feed

In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events. They discuss Sam’s unexpected appearance in the Epstein files, the revolting behavior of various public figures named, the political viability of Gavin Newsom in 2028, the wisdom of celebrity political statements, the societal implications of AI-driven job displacement, what makes Sam and his family laugh, and other topics. Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/457-more-from-sam-the-epstein-files-the-newsom-factor-don-lemons-arrest-ai-market-disruption-and-more

Sam Harris speaks with Jonathan Rauch about the emergence of fascism in American politics. They discuss Rauch’s article, “Yes, It’s Fascism,” the 18 criteria of fascism, the glorification and unapologetic use of state violence, “might is right” foreign policy, the politicization of law enforcement, the complicity of the rich and powerful, blood and soil nationalism, the influence of Carl Schmitt, the resilience of American institutions, and other topics. Jonathan Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, is the author of eight books and many articles on public policy, culture, and government. He is a contributing writer for The Atlantic and recipient of the 2005 National Magazine Award, the magazine industry’s equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. His latest book, published in 2021 by the Brookings Press, is The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, a spirited and deep-diving account of how to push back against disinformation, canceling, and other new threats to our fact-based epistemic order. Jonathan’s Atlantic article, “Yes, It’s Fascism” This poll, Beyond MAGA: A Profile of the Trump Coalition, is mentioned in the conversation Website: https://www.brookings.edu/people/jonathan-rauch/ X: @jon_rauch Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/456-american-fascism

In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events. They discuss the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the lack of outrage from gun culture, the escalating humanitarian crisis in Iran, Melania Trump’s pay-to-play documentary deal, the societal implications of AI-driven job displacement, the fascistic social media imagery of the Trump administration, Sam’s youthful misadventures with psychedelics in Muir Woods, and other topics. Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/455-more-from-sam-guns-propaganda-ai-and-power-unbound

In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron dive into the chaotic start to 2026. They discuss the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis, the Trump administration’s response and rhetoric, the “evil Chauncey Gardiner” approach to acquiring Greenland, the potential fracture of NATO, the humanitarian crisis in Iran, Sam’s upcoming conversation with Ben Shapiro, the radicalization of Scott Adams, and the unrecoverable error Democrats are making regarding trans activism. Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/454-more-from-sam-minnesota-greenland-iran-s-thole-countries-and-more

Sam Harris speaks with Judea Pearl about causality, AI, and antisemitism. They discuss why LLMs won’t spawn AGI, alignment concerns in the race for AGI, Pearl’s public life after the murder of his son Daniel, the post-October 7th shift toward open anti-Zionism, the overlap between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, the misuse of “Islamophobia,” Israel’s fracture under Netanyahu, confronting anti-Zionism in universities, and other topics. Judea Pearl is the Chancellor's professor of computer science and statistics at UCLA and Director of the UCLA Cognitive Systems Laboratory. He is known internationally for his contributions to artificial intelligence, human reasoning, and philosophy of science. He has received numerous scientific awards, including the 2012 ACM A.M. Turing Award (often described as the "Nobel Prize of computing"). Judea is the father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl and president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation. He also writes and lectures on Jewish identity and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Coexistence and Other Fighting Words: Selected Writings of Judea Pearl, 2002-2025 collects his essays on these topics. Website: https://bayes.cs.ucla.edu/jp_home.html X: @yudapearl Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/453-ai-and-the-new-face-of-antisemitism

Sam Harris speaks with John McWhorter about language, ideology, and moral certainty. They discuss the rise and persistence of "wokeness" and DEI, the legacy of George Floyd's death, the role of social media in amplifying moral panic, how identity shapes perceptions of Israel-Palestine, the linguistics of Donald Trump, the rise of casual speech, conspiracy thinking, positions McWhorter has reconsidered, and other topics. John McWhorter teaches linguistics at Columbia University and writes a column for the New York Times. He earned a PhD in Linguistics from Stanford University and is the author of several books, including The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language, Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter, Word on the Street: Debunking the Myth of "Pure" Standard English, and, most recently, Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America. He is also the host of the language podcast Lexicon Valley. X: @JohnHMcWhorter Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/452-is-wokeness-finally-dead

As digital distraction increasingly fragments our attention, Sam explains why mindfulness is a practical skill for reclaiming clarity and presence. Begin a mindfulness practice using the Waking Up app, and make training your mind the foundation for everything else in the year ahead. Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/451-the-one-resolution-that-matters-most

In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events. They discuss Sam's 2025 New Year's resolutions, the benefits of meditation, Sam’s conversation with Ross Douthat, AI risks, Tucker Carlson's midnight encounter with a demon, the fracturing on the right, antisemitism on the right and the left, the Bondi Beach massacre, the Epstein files, accusations made by Joe Rogan and Bret Weinstein, and the collapse of shared reality, which Sam argues is the central problem driving many of these crises. Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/450-more-from-sam-resolutions-conspiracies-demonology-and-the-fate-of-the-world

Sam Harris speaks with Ross Douthat about religion, modernity, and what can steady a culture that feels increasingly unmoored. They discuss the case for faith in an age of digital disembodiment, declining birthrates, and looming AI-driven upheaval. They also debate tribalism and dogmatism, whether secular societies can generate durable moral consensus, the foundations of ethics, consciousness and well-being, mathematics as a clue to ultimate reality, and, briefly, demonology. Ross Douthat is the host of “Interesting Times,” from New York Times Opinion. The show explores a future that feels more open and uncertain than ever, mapping both the New Right and the new world order through interviews and conversations with leading thinkers and newsmakers. He is the author of Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, which was published in 2025. His other books include The Decadent Society and The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery. Website: www.nytimes.com/column/interesting-times X: @DouthatNYT Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/449-dogma-tribe-and-truth

Sam Harris speaks with David Edmonds about moral philosophy and effective altruism. They discuss Edmonds’s book Death in a Shallow Pond, Peter Singer’s famous drowning child thought experiment, arguments for and against thought experiments, “trolleyology,” consequentialism, the origins of the Effective Altruism movement, the controversial strategy of “earning to give,” Derek Parfit’s influence on contemporary ethics, the backlash against effective altruists, Angus Deaton’s critique of the efficacy of foreign aid, and other topics. David Edmonds is a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at Oxford University and a former BBC radio journalist. He is the author or editor of many philosophy books (and one on chess!), which together have been translated into over two dozen languages. His books include the international best seller Wittgenstein’s Poker (with John Eidinow), a biography, Parfit: A Philosopher and his Mission to Save Morality, and a children’s book, Undercover Robot. David also hosts a couple of philosophy podcasts. Philosophy Bites, which he makes with Nigel Warburton, has had over 45 million downloads. Website: http://www.davidedmonds.info/ X: @DavidEdmonds100 Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/448-the-philosophy-of-good-and-evil

Sam Harris speaks with Peter Zeihan about Trump’s second term and its economic and geopolitical consequences. They discuss Zeihan’s failed 2024 election prediction, the unprecedented unraveling of American power, Trump’s tariff policies, the AI bubble, deglobalization and supply chain vulnerabilities, China’s demographic and economic collapse, the degradation of military readiness, Trump’s incompetent foreign policy team, Steven Witkoff’s role as a Russian propaganda conduit, Melania Trump’s unexpected effectiveness as Ukraine’s unofficial ambassador, the 28-point peace plan and its $100 billion bribe, the repatriation of kidnapped Ukrainian children, and other topics. Peter Zeihan is a globally recognized authority on geopolitics and global strategy. He helps audiences and organizations understand how the world works by combining deep expertise in demography, economics, energy, politics, technology, and security. Through his analysis, Peter helps clients prepare for an increasingly uncertain future. Website: https://zeihan.com/patreon/ X: @PeterZeihan Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/447-the-unraveling-of-american-power

Sam Harris speaks with Michael Plant about the philosophy of happiness and effective altruism. They discuss the nature of well-being, Nozick's "Experience Machine" thought experiment, the validity of self-reported happiness data, the conflict between the experiencing self and the remembering self, Derek Parfit's "Repugnant Conclusion," the disconnect between moral intentions and consequences, why treating depression is more impactful than cash, the massive disparities in charitable impact, the potential effects of AI on human flourishing, the meaning crisis in a post-work future, and other topics. Dr. Michael Plant is a philosopher. He's the Founder and Director of the Happier Lives Institute, where he and his team use well-being science to identify the best ways to improve global happiness. HLI provides charity recommendations and advises philanthropists and policymakers on how to maximize their impact. Michael also serves as a Research Fellow at Oxford University's Wellbeing Research Centre. He has a PhD in Philosophy from Oxford, where he was supervised by Peter Singer, and he's a co-author of the 2025 World Happiness Report. Website: www.happierlivesinstitute.org X: @MichaelDPlant Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/446-how-to-do-the-most-good

In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events and answer some of the questions you all submitted on Substack. They discuss Marjorie Taylor Greene’s recent apology for her role in divisive politics, the Triggernometry interview backlash, wealth inequality, the myth of the self-made man, Sam’s conversation with Pastor Doug Wilson, the politics of Sam’s audience, and strategies for navigating difficult political conversations over Thanksgiving. Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/445-more-from-sam-marjorie-taylor-greene-billionaires-thanksgiving-political-debates-rapid-fire-questions

Sam Harris speaks with George Packer about American democracy and authoritarianism. They discuss Packer's article "America's Zombie Democracy," the erosion of democratic institutions, the Justice Department's independence, Congressional dysfunction, the weaponization of the military, Trump's unprecedented corruption, the public's failure to recognize democratic collapse, shamelessness as political superpower, the role of hypocrisy, potential threats to the 2026 midterm elections, hyperpartisanship and the loss of shared reality, the mainstreaming of white nationalism on the right, the damage done by wokeness and identity politics on the left, the Epstein files as a potential breaking point for MAGA, the post-Trump Republican landscape, wealth inequality and economic pain as catalysts for change, the role of status in American politics, social media's toxic effects on discourse, and other topics. George Packer is an award-winning author and staff writer at The Atlantic. His books include The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America (winner of the National Book Award), The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq, and Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century (winner of the Hitchens Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for biography). He is also the author of two novels and a play, and the editor of a two-volume edition of the essays of George Orwell. Website: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374614720/theemergency/ Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/444-americas-zombie-democracy

Sam Harris speaks with Douglas Wilson about his book Frequently Shouted Questions about Christian Nationalism. They discuss Wilson’s debates with Christopher Hitchens, the landscape of American evangelicalism, young-earth creationism, pre- vs. post-millennialism, the concept of dominionism, what Christian nationalism actually means, the supposed failure of secularism, the separation of church and state, religious tests for public office, women’s suffrage, homosexuality and sodomy laws, capital punishment for adultery, the biblical case for slavery, the foundations of morality without God, Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, heaven and hell as consequentialist frameworks, the nature of miracles, and other topics. Douglas Wilson is the senior minister of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. He serves on the board of New St. Andrews College, and is one of the founders of Logos School. He is married to Nancy, and they have numerous grandchildren and a growing number of great grandchildren. He is also the author of many books, including his most recent, Frequently Shouted Questions About Christian Nationalism. Website: https://dougwils.com X: @douglaswils Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/443-what-is-christian-nationalism

In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events and answer some of the questions you all submitted on Substack. They discuss how Sam overcame his fear of public speaking, the ongoing threat of nuclear war and the new Netflix movie A House of Dynamite—which was inspired by episode #210 of Making Sense, the resurgence of Christianity, Sam’s upcoming conversation with Pastor Doug Wilson, and lightning round questions. Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/442-more-from-sam-public-speaking-nuclear-war-christian-nationalism

Sam Harris speaks with Stephen Marche about his book The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future. They discuss tensions between the United States and Canada, what a modern American civil war might actually look like, the key risk factors for a civil war, diversity and immigration, extremism on the right and the left, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the assassination attempts on President Trump, conspiracy theories, how a civil war might be avoided, the possibility of secession, and other topics. Stephen Marche is a novelist and essayist, and the author of On Writing and Failure and The Next Civil War, among many other works. He has written features and essays for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Esquire, and The Walrus. He collaborated with artificial intelligence on the first AI-generated novel reviewed in The New York Times, Death of an Author. His most recent novel, The Last Election, was co-written with Andrew Yang. Website: stephenmarche.com X: @stephenmarche Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/441-the-threat-of-civil-war

Sam Harris speaks with Robert D. Kaplan about his new book, Waste Land: A World in Permanent Crisis. They discuss climate change, demographics, the primacy of order over freedom, why Russia is a country in decline, political extremism and the migration crisis in Europe and the UK, Israel’s military successes, what the world could look like in the aftermath of the war in the Middle East, antisemitism on the left, how a war in the Pacific could cause a global economic catastrophe, whether the U.S. could win a war with China, President Biden’s legacy, the pitfalls of globalization and social media, whether we can ever return to a “normal” America, and other topics. Robert D. Kaplan is the bestselling author of twenty books on foreign affairs and travel, including Adriatic, The Good American, The Revenge of Geography, Asia’s Cauldron, Monsoon, The Coming Anarchy, and Balkan Ghosts. He holds the Robert Strausz-Hupé Chair in Geopolitics at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. For three decades, he reported on foreign affairs for The Atlantic. He was a member of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board and the U.S. Navy’s Executive Panel. Foreign Policy magazine twice named him one of the world’s “Top 100 Global Thinkers.” Website: https://robertdkaplan.com/ Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/440-a-world-in-crisis

Sam Harris speaks with Damon Linker about the erosion of American democracy. They discuss the right-wing populist movement, the mechanisms by which Trump is consolidating authoritarian control, the Insurrection Act, the Right’s weaponization of wokeness, the potential for civil unrest, Trump’s punishment of Democrat-run cities, the new Christian Right, and other topics. Damon Linker is a senior lecturer in political science at the University of Pennsylvania, and the author of the Substack newsletter Notes From the Middleground. He is also the author of The Theocons and The Religious Test. His essays and reviews have appeared in numerous outlets, including The New York Times, The New Republic, The Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. He is currently writing a book for Princeton University Press about the political philosopher Leo Strauss and his contested influence on the American Right. Website: https://damonlinker.substack.com X: https://x.com/damonlinker Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/439-how-to-lose-a-democracy

In this latest episode of the “More From Sam” series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events and answer some of the questions you all submitted on Substack. They discuss the Israel-Hamas peace deal, the plans to build a Qatari air force facility in Idaho, why Trump lies about golf, the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the reactions from the Left and the Right, what Ezra Klein got wrong in his piece about Kirk, Sam’s relationship with Christopher Hitchens, Bari Weiss and The Free Press, and rapid fire questions. Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/438-more-from-sam-israel-hamas-deal-qatari-air-force-base-trump-charlie-kirk-ezra-klein-rapid-fire-questions