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 LaBlanc391. Balancing Incentives and Morals in Economics and Society feat. Samuel Bowles
How can tempting kids with an extra allowance for extra chores cause them to lose interest in helping out at all? How do incentives work and fail on each level…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc390. Decoding the Expert Mind feat. Gary A. Klein
How did a breakthrough in understanding how humans make split-second decisions and how did studying firefighters unlock the key piece of understanding…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc389. Why Understanding Statistics Is a Fundamental Part of Life with David Spiegelhalter
When people are told a statistical claim, particularly about risk, the most important follow-up they can ask is about magnitude. How big of a number or impact…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc388. Is There a Tradeoff Between Profit and Purpose? feat. Alex Edmans
The current debate over corporate Governance depicts a conflict between shareholders and stakeholders. But what if their interests were aligned?Alex Edmans is…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc387. Reframing Our Concept of Negative Emotions with Krista K. Thomason
Is it better to suppress our negative emotions? How do we feel things like anger, envy, or spite without letting them take over and impact our relationships?…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc386. The Lost Art of Civility in a Divided World feat. Alexandra Hudson
What is the difference between politeness and civility? How do you show respect for others during difficult discourse instead of siloing yourself away in only…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc385. Understanding The Science Behind Brain Balance and Mental Health feat. Camilla Nord
How do you reach the goal of a balanced brain? What will the future of mental health treatments look like, and how do we find the line between psychology and…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc384. Putting the Family Back Into Economics with Melissa Kearney
The family household is a fundamental unit of economics, and by extension – a fundamental unit of society. But the amount of research and study on the family…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc383. The Interdisciplinary Nature of Evolution with David Sloan Wilson
What do biology, religion, philosophy, and economics all have in common? Well, to some degree, they can all be grounded in the theory of evolution. David Sloan…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc382. The Crypto Craze: Unveiling the Hype, Scams, and Ethics feat. Zeke Faux
What happened when El Salvador made Bitcoin an official currency? Who uses cryptocurrency the most? How does the blockchain both help and hinder would-be scam…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc381. Using Cultural Evolution to Design Better Companies with Andrew McAfee
Why are humans the only species on the planet that’s been able to cooperate on such a massive scale and continuously reinvent our culture? Andrew McAfee is the…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc380. Examining the History of Mind feat. George Makari
For centuries, the health of the body was the province of doctors while the health of the soul was the domain of the clergy. What happened with the discovery…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc379. Using Math To Predict the Future feat. Kit Yates
Math is all around us. When you’re debating when to cross the street to avoid oncoming traffic, you’re doing math. When you sing in the shower and you notice…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc378. Making Healthcare More Equitable feat. David A. Ansell
In some neighborhoods in the US, life expectancy is lower than in some developing countries. How do poverty, inequality, and the uneven distribution of…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc377. The Art of Cheating and Deception feat. Dr. Lixing Sun
What’s the difference between a lie and deception? How does cheating show up in nature? And is it always a negative thing? Dr. Lixing Sun is a professor of…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc376. Unraveling the Cultural Significance of Food and Diet feat. Steven Shapin
Today’s episode is a historical feast, unraveling the entwined roots of food, philosophy, and the essence of self. But it isn't just for the history buff; it's…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc375. Outsmarting Pathogens: How We Fight Infectious Diseases Today feat. Dr. John S. Tregoning
What is the aftermath of a global pandemic and its impact on public consciousness? Will the surge in awareness about infectious diseases lead to sustained…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc374. Learning About the Future by Understanding the Past feat. Neil Shubin
Understanding the origins of species and the evolution of our planet has really become a multidisciplinary field. In order to understand how birds evolved to…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc373. The Fragile Balancing Act: How Healthcare Fails America feat. Bethany McLean
What is the correct balance between short-term profit and long-term resilience as far as healthcare is concerned? How does the 'panic, neglect' cycle underpin…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc372. The Science Behind Our Choices feat. Robert Sapolsky
As we wrestle with the notion of humans as complex biological machines, we confront the unsettling idea that our behaviors might be preordained by genetics and…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc371. The Invention of Creativity feat. Samuel Franklin
The word “creativity” as we understand it today didn’t become popular until the mid-20th century. So, what changed around 1950 that led to this mainstreaming…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc370. Managing Climate Risk feat. Bob Litterman
The financial world has to grapple with the complexities of climate change just like everyone else. Bob Litterman is an esteemed figure in risk management and…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc369. A New Type of Firm for the Digital Age feat. Karim R. Lakhani
In the 20th century, the multidivisional firm was born. It quickly redefined business strategy and the way our world runs. Now, as the digital age advances and…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc368. Love and Quarrels: The Unseen Sides of Marriage feat. Devorah Baum
Ever wondered why marriage, one of the most common themes in literature, is largely ignored by philosophers? What about the complexities of present-day…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc367. The Neuroscience of Social Connection feat. Amy Banks
Despite our culture of rugged individualism, it’s widely accepted among psychologists today that we need social connections to thrive. And neuroscience may be…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc366. Dissecting Workplace Friction: A Deep Dive feat. Robert Sutton
Why does there seem to be such a struggle to get things done in some organizations? How can you unlock the mystery behind the persistence of bad management…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc365. The In’s and Out’s of Organizational Economics feat. John Roberts
Management oftentimes can be a difficult and precise artform. How does leadership at a company decide how the organization should be structured? What divisions…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc364. Innovation at the Crossroads of Medicine and Economics feat. Anupam B. Jena
How can economics shape our understanding of healthcare? How can cognitive biases lead even seasoned doctors into harmful errors, and what potential does…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc363. The Transformative Power of Design feat. Vijay Kumar
Far from just making things pretty, design has become an essential part of strategy and now has a dynamic role in organizations. It’s not just about design…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc362. The Power of Our Senses: Insights from the Animal Kingdom feat. Ashley Ward
How do human senses compare to those of animals? In what ways are they similar, how are they different, and how do they help us make sense of the world?Ashley…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc361. Understanding Allergies and Immune Responses feat. Theresa MacPhail
Ever wondered why allergies seem to be on the rise? How about the intriguing link between the industrial revolution and our own immune responses?Theresa…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc360. Measuring Labor Productivity feat. Robert J. Gordon
How do you measure the true productivity of a country’s economy? What gets missed if the only metric being examined is the GDP? Robert J. Gordon is a professor…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc359. Debt, Forgiveness and the Nature of the Corporation feat. David Skeel
In ancient times, debtors were treated with severe punishment, even sometimes being dismembered. So when did things start to shift towards debt forgiveness…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc358. The Art of Venture Capital feat. Sebastian Mallaby
How much does venture capital actually have to do with finance? It turns out, not that much. Rather, venture capital has more to do with psychology, network…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc357. The Science of Successful Project Planning feat. Bent Flyvbjerg
Why are only 8.5% of large projects completed on time and within budget? No matter what type of project you're involved in, whether it's home renovations or…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc356. Epicureanism and Its Modern Relevance feat. Emily Austin
In this episode, we unravel the misunderstood philosophy of Epicureanism. Don't be fooled by common misconceptions - Epicureanism isn't just about hedonism…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc355. Crowdsourcing Strategy Through Openness feat. Christian Stadler
Strategic Insights are everywhere, but they often go unnoticed by leaders. How can leaders of organizations harness the ideas around them by opening up their…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc354. Evolutionary Ideas and COVID-19 Controversies feat. Matt Ridley
Is History driven by heroic individuals or by variation and selection? What determines the speed of innovation? Matt Ridley is a science writer, journalist…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc353. Studying the History of Knowledge feat. Peter Burke
How does one tell the story of knowledge through the centuries? And what kind of knowledge is being discussed when looking at its history? Peter Burke, a…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc352. The Crackdown on Private Equity feat. Brendan Ballou
Nowadays, if someone wants to make a lot of money in finance, they don’t go and work for investment banks. The real money to be made is at private equity…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc351. The Transformative Power of Gestures feat. Susan Goldin-Meadow
Ever wondered why some people seem to have an aversion to gesturing while speaking? Or did you know that even in the absence of sight, human beings…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc350. The Risks of a Deteriorating Democracy feat. Victor Davis Hanson
Is democracy and the idea of citizenship deteriorating because of the state of our country’s education system? Victor Davis Hanson is the Martin and Illie…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc349. Deconstructing Asset Management: The Shifts, Opportunities, and Concerns feat. Brett Christophers
Ever wondered about the growing presence of asset managers in all aspects of our lives?Brett Christophers is a Professor in the Department of Human Geography…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc348. Simplifying in the Age of Complexity feat. John Maeda
Is it possible to simplify life without losing the comfort and complexity that enriches it? John Maeda, vice president of artificial intelligence and design at…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc347. Research vs Teaching: The Tug of War in Education feat. Jonathan Zimmerman
Will the subjects we debate in education still be relevant a century from now? There are enduring controversies and tensions in education that continue even…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc346. A History of The American Corporation feat. Richard N. Langlois
What technological and societal factors led to the rise of the large corporation in 20th-century America?Richard N. Langlois is an economics professor at the…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc345. The Delicate Dance of Communication feat. Matt Abrahams
Do you find communication a necessary evil rather than a tool for success? How can you use communication as a fundamental key to success in both your personal…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc344. The Philosophy of Empathy feat. Heidi L. Maibom
Many scholars and philosophers have taken the stance that empathy hinders the true pursuit of knowledge and justice. But our guest today takes the opposite…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc343. Shaking Up Wall Street with Disruptive Financial Strategies feat. Scott Patterson
Does the financial world need a shake-up? By venturing into the minds of Nassim Taleb and Benoit Mandelbrot, two outliers who challenge the status quo of…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc342. Suicide, Addiction, and the Power of Narrative feat. Clancy Martin
As we navigate life's challenges, it's crucial we confront the subjects that often remain unspoken out of fear or misunderstanding. Both modern and ancient…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc341. How Art and Philosophy are Critically Intertwined feat. Alva Noë
Humans are creatures of habit. We have habits for talking, eating, walking, sleeping–we don’t question these habits; much of it happens on autopilot. But it’s…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc340. Discovering The True Potential of Human Senses feat. Jackie Higgins
What if we haven’t unlocked the true potential of our senses because we simply don't pay enough attention to them? Writer and filmmaker Jackie Higgins explores…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc339. How the Brain Handles Balance and Misinformation feat. Paul Thagard
Can you imagine the brain's intricate dance that helps us maintain balance? How does this process connect with vertigo, cognitive decline, and even our…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc338. The Rules of Rules feat. Lorraine Daston
Where does the concept of rules originate from? And how does that history inform the rules we use to organize society today? Lorraine Daston is the director…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc337. Navigating the Waves of Technology and Prosperity feat. Simon Johnson
Technological progress drives productivity improvements and increases wealth, but the distribution of those gains depends on both technological and political…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc336. An Intellectual History of Money feat. Felix Martin
The history of money isn’t just an Economics story, but it’s a cultural and philosophical one, too. Felix Martin, a columnist for Reuters, charts this history…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc335. Traversing Environmental Politics feat. Jedediah Purdy
As more and more humans came up against the edges of wilderness in American history, new laws were needed to help guide and shape what the process would look…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc334. The Animal with the Longest Childhood feat. Brenna Hassett
Humans, as a species, are unique among the animal kingdom in a number of ways, but several of those involve how we have and raise our children. In a class of…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc333. The Science of Reading feat. Adrian Johns
In the information economy, reading is an essential skill. How can competency in reading be measured, and how can it be improved? In the 19th century, there…
unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc332. The Origins of Feminism feat. Erika Bachiochi
Even well before the suffragettes of the 19th century, women had been writing, thinking, and pushing for equal rights for almost a hundred years. How did those…