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PODCAST

Life Examined

Life Examined is a one-hour weekly podcast exploring psychology, philosophy, spirituality — and finding meaning in the modern world. The show is hosted by Jonathan Bastian.

society & culture

All Episodes

00:52:57

The science and benefits of deep sleep and vivid dreams

Life Examined ·

2021/09/18

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett about our collective fascination with dreams and how COVID dreams have changed over the last year. Later, we hear from Dr. Rafael Pelayo, author of “How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping Through the Night,” about the science of sleep and why getting a good night’s sleep has become so difficult.

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00:51:25

‘Who needs God when we’ve got Google?’: Blurring the...

Life Examined ·

2021/09/11

Host Jonathan Bastian talks with Meghan O'Gieblyn, author of “God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning” about how advanced AI technologies are changing how we think about ourselves and our faith. Later, writer Linda Kinstler talks about the influential role of the tech sector on faith. And Dr. Beth Singler from the University of Cambridge in the U.K. discuses how religion is being renewed and reshaped by modern technology.

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00:51:57

Human intelligence: Behind the brains of babies,...

Life Examined ·

2021/09/04

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with cognitive scientist and philosopher Alison Gopnik about the minds of babies and children. What makes babies such avid learners, and can parents help shape who they will become? Gopnik explains that the evolutionary long human childhood results in years full of exploration and learning. On the other end of the spectrum, neuroscientist, musician, and author of “Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives” Daniel Levitin explains

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00:52:27

Less is more: The science and skills behind saying ‘no’

Life Examined ·

2021/08/28

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with behavioral scientist Leidy Klotz about his new book ‘Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less.’ Klotz explains why we need to re-examine our human desire for more, more, more, and why it often prevents us from seeing the easier and more effective solutions. We also hear from Vanessa Patrick, professor of marketing at the University of Houston, on the art and language of saying “No.” Writer Simon Usborne reflects on how gymnast Simon Biles’ and tennis player Naomi

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00:52:28

Searching for Utopia, Part 2: Utopian societies,...

Life Examined ·

2021/08/21

This is the second in a two-part series about utopian societies, exploring community living and America’s history with utopian ideas, sects, and cults. What was the appeal back then, and how do they operate today? This week, KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with religion professor Ben Zeller about the characteristics of utopian societies, including sects and cults. We also hear from Chris Jennings, author of “Paradise Now: The Story of American Utopianism,” about the utopian communities of 18th and

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00:51:58

Searching for Utopia, Part 1: The freedoms and...

Life Examined ·

2021/08/14

This is the first in a two-part series about utopian societies exploring the benefits of community cooperation and its dark sides — how the rejection of the status quo can morph into extremism and fanaticism. This week, KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with Akash Kapur about his childhood memories growing up in Auroville, a utopian community in southern India. Kapur is the author of “Becoming India: A Portrait of Life in Modern India.” His latest book, “Better To Have Gone: Love, Death and the Quest

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00:52:26

Awestruck: Why a daily dose of wonder might benefit...

Life Examined ·

2021/08/07

On this week’s Life Examined, psychologist and co-author of “Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life” and “The Compassionate Instinct” Dacher Keltner talks about the science of awe and why we need a daily dose. We also talk with cultural psychologist Dr. Yuria Celidwen about how the practices of Indigenous communities enhance prosocial behavior, and how the appreciation of awe also helps forge community bonds.

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00:51:28

‘Taken against our will’: the damaging legacy of...

Life Examined ·

2021/07/31

Kenneth Rosen, journalist and author of “Troubled: The Failed Promise of America’s Behavioral Treatment Programs,” takes a closer look at the “tough love” industry and the damaging legacy of wilderness therapy boot camps through the eyes of four former residents — and his own personal experience being forcibly taken from his home as a teenager. Host Jonathan Bastian also talks with Will White, the author of “Stories from the Field: A History of Wilderness Therapy” and teaching lecturer at Plymouth

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00:50:58

From club drug to love potion, how MDMA might help...

Life Examined ·

2021/07/24

Brian Earp, researcher and co-author of “Love Drugs: The Chemical Future of Relationships,” talks about the range of positive effects that MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, have on relationships. What could de-stigmatizing MDMA mean for couples therapy? KCRW also talks with the clinical director of the Gottman Institute and founder of the Center for Relationship Wellness about the essence of a successful relationship.

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00:52:27

Why getting old may be a thing of the past

Life Examined ·

2021/07/17

On this week’s Life Examined, scientist and author of “Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old” Andrew Steele talks about the race to turn back the clock on the aging process. We also talk with University of Florida Sociology Professor Monika Ardelt about the wisdom that comes with old age. Can being wise help you age successfully?

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00:51:57

The mental and physical benefits of healthy breathing

Life Examined ·

2021/07/10

The average person takes about 25,000 breaths a day but the majority of us give little thought as to how the air actually goes in or goes out of our lungs. What have we misunderstood about the breath and how can healthy breathing habits help both our physical and mental well being?

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00:51:58

Why is everyone reading the stoics?

Life Examined ·

2021/07/02

Ancient stoic wisdom is having an unexpected modern day resurgence. Whether it’s daily Instagram quotes, blogs, or good old fashioned books — the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus are today enjoying something of a comeback. And their appeal is wide, including entrepreneurs, hipsters, sports figures, and even parents.

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00:51:58

Renowned psychologist Tara Brach on the power of...

Life Examined ·

2021/06/26

KCRW’s Jonathan Bastian talks with renowned Buddhist teacher and psychologist Tara Brach about meditation, mindfulness, and trusting our “inner gold.” Her books include “Radical Acceptance, Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha,” “True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart,” and most recently, “Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness.”

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00:52:27

The art and historical legacy of Juneteenth

Life Examined ·

2021/06/19

For African Americans, June 19 (Juneteenth) is both a celebration of freedom and an occasion of somber remembrance. It marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned that they were free — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Until recently, only a handful of states, including Texas, have acknowledged June 19 as a historical date that’s just as significant as Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day. How should we embrace and celebrate America’s not

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00:51:55

The human history and relationship to music

Life Examined ·

2021/06/12

Music has always played an important role in cultures across the globe and across the millenia. The discovery of a 40,000-year-old bone flute in a German cave showed that hominids, our prehistoric ancestors, could use a tool to produce sound. Technology continues to impact the history and evolution of music, from the lyres depicted in the art of ancient Greece to the orchestras, synthesizers, and electronics used today. Music professor and author Michael Spitzer traces our history of and

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00:52:26

The science of friendship and its lessons for...

Life Examined ·

2021/06/05

Friendship is one of the most important components and predictors for emotional and physical well being. A good friendship can last a lifetime, but it’s never too late to make new friends, as long as we devote time and energy to that effort. As we re-engage with one another after a year of isolation, who will we choose to interact with, and why does hanging out with our friends feel so good? On this week’s “Life Examined,” science journalist and author Lydia Denworth explains the science and

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00:51:58

What trees teach us about community and collaboration

Life Examined ·

2021/05/29

Trees and forests have long been a source of inspiration for art and poetry. The modern environmental movement says forests and trees are on the front lines of fighting climate change by absorbing CO2 and cooling the planet with their leafy canopies. But trees may be far more evolved than their passive exteriors would lead us to believe. We explore the healing power of trees and why a good forest bath might be the best way to de-stress your life. German forester and author Peter Wohlleben

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00:51:55

Does having children really make us happier?

Life Examined ·

2021/05/22

The decision to have a child is quite possibly the most daunting and consequential any of us can make. But recent data and research on the well-being of parents may give some would-be parents reason to press pause. A child does provide meaning and purpose but does having children make us happier? Also how will the climate crisis and the COVID pandemic impact the decision on whether or not to have kids?

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00:51:54

MDMA, Ecstasy, Molly: Coming soon to a therapist near...

Life Examined ·

2021/05/15

LSD and Ecstasy were once the hippy-trippy illegal substances for concerts, raves, and parties. Now these psychedelics are back in the news — this time for their positive impact on trauma and depression. Today nearly one in five American adults lives with a mental illness, and PTSD will affect an estimated 7.7 million Americans at some point in their life. That’s according to NAMI, the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Over the past 30 years, researchers and psychotherapists have discovered the

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00:51:55

What prison writing teaches us about US justice...

Life Examined ·

2021/05/08

Repentance and reflection was once the utopian ideal of the penitentiary system. Back then, the ideal was not to punish but to provide a solitary space or sanctuary from the evils of the outside world in which to repent. Today, that ideal has been swallowed by a massive prison industrial complex, but despite being overcrowded and underfunded, some prisons do offer educational programs like writing classes. KCRW explores how poetry and writing have provided meaning for formerly and currently

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335 results

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