Shows / unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc
unSILOed is a series of interdisciplinary conversations that inspire new ways of thinking about our world. Our goal is to build a community of lifelong learners addicted to curiosity and the pursuit of insight about themselves and the world around them.*unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.*
Episodes
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc451. Reckoning with Imperial History feat. Sathnam Sanghera
In what ways is England’s imperial past connected to its present? What of that past is reflected in the schools and schoolwork of students? Are there ways to…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc450. The Founding Fathers’ Tireless Pursuit of Virtue with Jeffrey Rosen
How did the teachings of the great Greek and Roman moral philosophers shape America and its founders? How has the shift away from studying those teachings had…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc449. The Pains of Legal Micromanagement with Philip K. Howard
Does modern society have too many laws? Have we complicated legal codes to the point where we’re suffocating under them and grinding the government to a…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc448. Living Your Best Epicurean Life with Catherine Wilson
Out of all the ancient moral philosophies, which one feels most applicable to how we live our lives in the modern world? As today’s guest would say, we are all…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc447. Weaponizing Shame and Algorithms feat. Cathy O'Neil
Shame and the classification of people have always been with us, but new technology can amplify the harmful effects of both. What can be learned from a careful…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc446. The Science of Success with Albert-László Barabási
In order to study the science of success, you have to also study the science of failure. How much is performance connected to success? How do you leverage…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc445. How and When To Think Like a Scientist with Saul Perlmutter, John Campbell, and Robert MacCoun
In a world challenged by the politicization of data, contradicting evidence, and an onslaught of information, could the key to more effective and informed…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc444. From Isolation to Connection in Modern Work Environments feat. David Bradford
Can you truly build exceptional relationships in a professional setting? What are the secrets to effective communication and the role of social psychology in…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc443. Uncovering COVID-19’s Origin with Alina Chan
More than four years after the pandemic began, a source for COVID-19 still eludes scientists and public health officials. The mystery has given rise to a slew…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc442. Enhancing Community and Connection with Rituals feat. Michael Norton
What if the key to managing stress and finding meaning lies in the simple rituals we perform daily? How can engaging in rituals can be a potent tool for…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc441. Breaking Free From Emotional Habituation with Tali Sharot
Humans are creatures of habit. It’s even wired that way in our brains. But what impact does habituation have on personal happiness?Tali Sharot is a professor…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc440. Whistleblowing in Medical Research with Carl Elliott
Despite the Hippocratic Oath of “do no harm” that all physicians take, a dark side exists in the medical field. Carl Elliott is a professor of philosophy who…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc439. The Psychology Behind Misbelief and Conspiracy Theories feat. Dan Ariely
What if you could understand why rational people sometimes believe the most irrational things?Dan Ariely is a Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc438. Exploring Medicine’s Moral and Ethical Questions with Travis Rieder
Travis Rieder, a professor of bioethics at Johns Hopkins University, is fascinated by the world’s ethical dilemmas.His work sits at the intersection of…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc437. Aligning Data Science and Machine Learning for Business Success feat. Eric Siegel
Ever wondered how to truly bridge the gap between technical expertise and practical business implementation? How did the terminology shift from "data mining"…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc436. What the History of Economic Growth Says About the Future of Work with Daniel Susskind
The study of economic growth is a modern phenomenon. In fact, economists didn’t get serious about measuring it until the mid-20th century. So what brought…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc435. What the Past Can Tell Us About Our Climate Future with Brian Fagan
Humans have lived with a changing climate since we’ve been on this planet. But what archaeology and anthropology is able to reveal now, is how well…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc434. The Critical Role of Marriage in Societal Well-Being feat. Brad Wilcox
What if the institution of marriage holds the key to societal well-being? How does marital status correlate with happiness, prosperity, and positive outcomes…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc433. Overcoming Biophobia with David Barash
Despite periods in history when evolutionary biology has been misused, there’s no denying that the study of biological human nature is intrinsic to the study…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc432. Balancing Life and Efficiency: An Optimization Deep Dive feat. Coco Krumme
What happens when the relentless pursuit of optimization backfires? What ethical dilemmas and hidden complexities exist inside of this obsession? How does our…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc431. Religion’s Hand in the Invention of Politics with Anna Maria Grzymala-Busse
Historical research on the development of states and political systems typically focuses on the role of war or economic class, but what about the influence of…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc430. How Darwinian Economics Could Explain Everything with Geoffrey Hodgson
Over the course of history, human nature hasn’t changed a great deal, but culture and institutions are another story. And a key way of explaining those l…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc429. The Science Behind Animal Hijinks Understanding Play as Nature's Classroom feat. David Toomey
Through navigating the intricate world of play behavior we can dissect how animals, from rambunctious rat pups to the majestic meerkats, use this seemingly…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc428. The Secrets of Constitution-Writing with Linda Colley
Constitutions are often thought of as the agents of change for monarchies and empires, usually it spells doom for them. But the history of constitutions is far…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc427. Lockdowns and Lessons: The Pandemic Retrospective feat. Jay Bhattacharya
Discover the untold stories behind pandemic decision-making in COVID-19 responses and their seismic effects on society. Hear how early prevalence studies…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc426. Overhauling Health Inequality feat. Amy Finkelstein
How complex are the dynamics of employer-based insurance? Is the time ripe for a radical transformation towards universal basic healthcare—a move that could…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc425. Mathematics & Cooperation As the Keys to Evolution with Martin Nowak
While Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is still the most widely accepted, it may be missing a key component: cooperation. And how can mathematical…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc424. Rethinking the Social Underpinnings of Our Daily Decisions feat. Robin Hanson
Why might our brains be keeping us in the dark about our own motives? What's the reason humans give to charity? How do cultural norms lead to continual efforts…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc423. The Scale of Everything: Unifying the Sciences of Growth, Complexity, and Innovation feat. Geoffrey West
What patterns can connect and unify biology, society, and the environment? How do cities outlast empires and survive unimaginable destruction? Why do buildings…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc422. Reframing Uncertainty as Opportunity with Rebecca Homkes
Business leaders face uncertainty everyday, it’s unavoidable. But one of the most important things leaders can do to help their companies thrive is to confront…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc421.The Law Through an Economic Lens with Robert Cooter and Michael Gilbert
In recent decades, economic theory has made inroads into the study and practice of law, mainly in the domain of commercial transactions and corporate…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc420.Globalization From the Renaissance to the Age of the City feat. Ian Goldin
How are our fates in society like hikers on a mountain, climbing together? In our ever increasingly interconnected world how can one balance the rewards of a…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc419. Embracing the Venture Mindset feat. Ilya Strebulaev
What is the mindset that's reshaping how companies and investors forge paths to success from beyond the balance sheets? How are the staunch principles of Net…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc418. Urban Myths: Challenging the Green City Idea feat. Des Fitzgerald
Are there reasons to doubt the conventional wisdom of greenery as the cure-all for urban ills. What are the roots of the Garden City movement, and how has the…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc417. Harnessing Rhetoric’s Power for Contemporary Conversations feat. Robin Reames
Is modern communication leaving us more divided than ever? What can the writings of ancient philosophers teach us about persuasion? How can ancient wisdom…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc416. The Fusion of Culture and Evolution in Human Development feat. Joseph Rouse
Where do the lines lie between nature and culture within humanity? How can our human social practices affect and shape our biology? The answer is within the…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc415. Untangling Organizational Design with Gene Kim & Steven Spear
Could the secret to organizational success be as simple as going back to basics? Gene Kim and Steven Spear’s new book, Wiring the Winning Organization…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc414. The Science of Social Networks with Nicholas Christakis
Do our genes have an impact on how many friends we’ll have in life and the kinds of people we gravitate towards whether our friends are connected to each…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc413. A Rational Look at Irrationality with Steven Nadler
Humans have always had the propensity to be irrational. In fact, humans may be as irrational today as they were centuries ago. But with a more educated and…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc412. Fixing Organizational Culture with Frances Frei
The problem with the business mindset of “move fast and break things” is that what often gets broken is people. But how can companies take care of their…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc411. Analyzing the Spanish Empire’s Global Footprint feat. Felipe Fernández-Armesto
How can an interdisciplinary approach to the study of our past help our understanding of history? How transformative was the Spanish Empire’s global influence…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc410. Giving Dutch History Its Due with Jonathan Scott
Without the Dutch revolution of the 16th century, England may never have taken its place as a world superpower and there could have been no such thing as the…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc409. Capital’s Codes: The Legal DNA of Economy and Inequality feat. Katharina Pistor
Our guest today suggests that law is the cloth from which capitalism is cut. And lawyers are the tailors! From the enclosure movement to the financial crisis…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc408. Diabetes, Drugs, and Diet with Gary Taubes
Doctors and scientists have been studying how our diet affects our health since the 18th century. But despite technological advancements and varying hypotheses…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc407. The Delicate Balance of Teaching and Research in Modern Academia feat. Nicholas Dirks
University professors have to become good at doing the intricate dance between research and teaching, as institutions have to help their faculty navigate this…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc406. Tackling Healthcare’s Big Business with Elisabeth Rosenthal
To our guest today, the current American healthcare system feels less like a means to get well and more like a gigantic racket. We’ve gone from hospital visits…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc405. Reassessing the Moral Narrative of Colonialism and Morality feat. Nigel Biggar
Historical, moral judgment can be a difficult thing to navigate in the context of colonialism. Have you ever pondered the role of truth in history and its…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc404. The Evolution of Burnout with Christina Maslach
Since the pandemic, the term “burnout” seems everywhere. But is burnout something that’s always existed at work, or is it a modern phenomenon? Have jobs…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc403. Bridging Worlds: Explorations in Science, Spirituality, and Social Dynamics feat. David Myers
Prepare to have your notions of nature vs. nurture thoroughly examined as we navigate the intricate web of genetics, environment, and well-being. What is more…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc402. Replacing Democracy with Epistocracy feat. Jason Brennan
Democracy stands as one of humanity's most treasured institutions, but what if the very foundation it’s built upon is less solid than we believe? What is an…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc401. Why Science is Fundamentally Irrational feat. Michael Strevens
What can we learn looking back on the paths of influential thinkers like Popper and Kuhn today? How are the motivations and passions of scientists left behind…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc400. The Essence of Human Bonds from Tribes to Modernity feat. Robin Dunbar
Unlock the mysteries of human connections as we share a compelling dialogue with the man behind ‘Dunbar’s Number,’ the number of connections that humans can…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc399. The Science Behind Human Connection and Engagement feat. Nicholas Epley
Have you ever considered the transformative power of a simple hello or the profound effect of asking someone about their day? Why might our attempts at…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc398. Navigating the Ideological Shift in Academia feat. John Ellis
How did higher education come to be dominated by academics on the ideological left, and what are the potential consequences of this monoculture on diverse…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc397. Food: An Underutilized Historical Lens with Mark Kurlansky
What does the changing value of salt over history tell us about the future of oil? How are the views around milk and dairy products connected to class…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc396. The American Healthcare Puzzle: Solutions and Strategies feat. Vivian Lee
Our healthcare system is a complex dance of costs and inefficiencies, yet it's one we can't afford to sit out. What results have flowed from shifting the cost…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc395. Tracing the Roots of Curiosity: From Galileo to Feynman and More: feat. Mario Livio
Curiosity isn't reserved for the elite thinkers; it's a fundamental part of being human that propels us from the cradle to the cosmos. But what is the…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc394. Where Money Comes From with Paul Sheard
There’s a great misunderstanding surrounding government debt and its economic implications. Many view it as a financial burden that will be passed down to the…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc393. Behind the Scenes of Medical Research feat. John Ioannidis
The acceleration of research in science, comes with an increasing number of flawed resultsparticularly in the medical sciences, where misapplied statistical…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc392. Mastering the Art of Influence feat. Zoe Chance
Unlock the secrets to commanding any room with the power of influence and persuasion. Imagine ascending the corporate ladder with ease, your words leading the…