Father of Artificial Intelligence" (Simon), a "Modern Mystic" (Weil), and a "Tech Whistleblower" (Harris) examine the structural forces stealing our focus. They argue that in an information-rich world, attention is the only currency that matters—and we are currently being bankrupted by design.

Attention is Finite: You cannot "save" attention; you can only spend it. Every notification is a withdrawal from your mental bank.

The "User" is the Product: If you aren't paying for the product, your focus is the harvest.

Reclaiming the Sacred: Weil’s perspective reminds us that focus is not just "productivity"—it is how we connect with reality. Reclaiming it is a revolutionary act.

In this episode, a Nobel Laureate, a Zen Philosopher, and a Rationality Advocate examine why the human brain craves certainty like a narcotic. They argue that our "feeling of knowing" is often a biological defense mechanism against the discomfort of ambiguity, leading to a global epidemic of overconfidence.

Key Takeaways for Listeners

Bertrand Russell, Analytical Doubt: The smarter you are, the more you realize how little you actually "know."

Julia Galef, Scout Mindset: Truth-seeking requires the "Scout's" curiosity rather than the "Soldier's" defensive aggression.

Keiji Nishitani: The Standpoint of Sunyata: True wisdom begins when we stop using "certainty" to hide from the void of existence.

• Certainty is an Emotion, Not a Fact: Just because you feel 100% sure doesn't mean your data is 100% accurate.

• The Soldier vs. The Scout: Are you looking at the world to see what's there (Scout), or are you looking for reasons why you’re right (Soldier)?

• Embrace the "Abyss": Growth happens in the space between "I don't know" and "I'm finding out." Don't rush to close that gap with a comfortable lie.

The "Intelligence Trap," a phenomenon where cognitive prowess actually fuels irrationality. Our guests argue that motivated reasoning allows smart people to build elaborate intellectual defenses for their biases. Instead of using logic to find the truth, we often use it to protect our "Idols" and maintain the comfortable illusion of being right. Why should you listen to this Podcast, because:

• Smart People are Better Liars: Realize that your brain is primarily a lawyer, not a scientist; it wants to win the argument, not find the truth.

• The Sophistication Gap: The more articulate you are, the easier it is to deceive yourself with complex language (Bacon's Idols of the Marketplace).

• The Only Antidote: To escape the trap, you must cultivate "Intellectual Humility"—the active search for how you might be wrong, despite how "right" it feels.

Here meet three of history’s most formidable minds—John Nash, Chanakya, and Sun Tzu—to dissect the fundamental nature of human interaction. Moving beyond simple "cause and effect," the trio explores Life as Strategic Interdependence: the reality that our personal success is inextricably linked to the decisions made by everyone else around us.

The conversation centers on the transition from Linear Thinking (actions in a vacuum) to Strategic Thinking (actions in a network). They debate three distinct ways to navigate this interdependence:

• The Nash Equilibrium: Finding the "stable point" where no player has an incentive to change their strategy, given what others are doing. It is the math of coexistence.

• The Chanakyan Statecraft: A more proactive approach focused on incentive anticipation. Chanakya argues for actively reshaping the "rules of the game" through rewards and punishments to force others into desired outcomes.

• The Sun Tzu Fluidity: The art of calculated advantage. Sun Tzu views interdependence as a landscape of energy; he seeks to win by "knowing the other" so well that the battle is won before it begins.

Systems promise order. History promises meaning. Words promise truth. But what if wisdom lives elsewhere? Inspired by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Leo Tolstoy, and Laozi, Coherence Is Not Truth explores antifragility, repentance, non-resistance, and the quiet power of living beyond coercion. A meditation on uncertainty, agency, and the courage to exist without guarantees.

We are taught from childhood to "just be ourselves." But what if that "self" isn't a soul you discover, but a character you’ve been rehearsing your entire life? In this episode, we peel back the mask to reveal the startling reality: your identity isn't a private internal compass—it's a public stage production

To understand why we do what we do, we look at three titans of social theory and performance:

• Erving Goffman’s Social Theater: We explore Goffman’s "Dramaturgical Analysis," viewing every office meeting and first date as a high-stakes play. We discuss Impression Management and why even your most "authentic" moments are carefully scripted for an audience.

• René Girard’s Mimetic Desire: Girard shatters the myth of the independent thinker. We dive into the "Identity as Imitation" model—the idea that you don't actually know what you want; you are simply borrowing the desires and identities of the people you admire (or envy).

• Muhammad Ali’s Psychological Enactment: The Greatest didn't just find his confidence; he manufactured it. Ali provides the ultimate case study in elite performance psychology, showing how "faking it until you make it" is actually the process of "enacting" a new reality into existence.

Life is a performance, and you are both the lead actor and the director.

"The self is not a thing, but a process of interaction."

If everyone is playing the game "correctly," why does the world often feel like it’s falling apart? We like to think that intelligence leads to order, but when brilliant minds collide, the result isn't always harmony—it's a deadlock.

In this episode, we sit at the crossroads of ancient wisdom and modern mathematics to deconstruct the friction of competition. We bridge the gap between three legendary architects of strategy:

• Sun Tzu’s Indirect Advantage: The art of winning before the first blow is struck by manipulating perception.

• Niccolò Machiavelli’s Power Realism: A cold-eyed look at the world as it is, rather than how we wish it to be.

• John Nash’s Strategic Equilibrium: The mathematical proof that when everyone pursues their own best interest, we can all end up stuck in a suboptimal reality.

The core of our discussion centers on Interaction Effects. We explore how individual "rational" moves—like building a bigger weapon or undercuting a competitor—reshape the entire incentive structure for everyone else, often triggering a "race to the bottom."

Whether you’re navigating a corporate boardroom, a political campaign, or a high-stakes negotiation, this episode will change how you view the "moves" of your opponents. It’s not just about being the smartest person in the room; it’s about understanding the room itself.