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“Thought-provoking. Like a fictional TED Talk.” — M. Karl65 (iTunes)
“Psychological mind-benders? Sci-fi? Philosophy? All of the above.” — Jack R. (iTunes)
“Sort of like an audio Black Mirror.” — M. Jamar (iTunes)
CAUTIONARY TALES OF PHILOSOPHICAL FICTION
Would you cut off your head to change the world? What if lying were made illegal? Would you take a drug to change your identity? Is death a challenge or something to fear? Scott Ely takes us down a rabbit hole of speculative fiction with psychological twists and philosophical turns to reimagine the big questions of life. Everything is changing, yet the questions that drive us remain the same. These Twilight Zone-style cautionary tales also challenge you to find your place in a rapidly evolving world. Create your reality … before it creates you. Learn more about Scott Ely or the Evolve Faster platform. Are you looking for Season One? Or, find all episodes listed here.
SEASON TWO
EF49 (S2-E10): The Domino Effect: The Momentum of an Unstoppable Future
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Humanity’s relationship to the future is like falling dominoes, where the momentum of the present surges forward to create what’s next. But since our actions enact this cause-effect chain, does this mean the future is knowable? Or do humans not even matter in this cosmic cycle? More...
EF48 (S2-E9): Checkmate: A Child’s Guide to the Good Life
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Experiencing life through the eyes of a child is to see the world with an intensity and excitement to learn long since lost in most adults. Do the secrets to life fulfillment exist in this simple mindset shift? And would this help define what is a good life? More...
EF47 (S2-E8): Infinite Regress: Drawing Back The Veil of Perception
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Investigating human limitations beyond the veil of perception is as disconcerting as looking at an image repeating into itself in an infinite regress. What would it mean to have a complete grasp of the entire picture? And would that define for us what is reality? More...
EF46 (S2-E7): Empathetic Distortion: Rigging the Scales of Justice
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Like a rigged scale of justice, life in society and within cultures is inherently unfair. But what if there were ways to live true to yourself while also being compassionate to everyone? And is a just world even possible? More...
EF45 (S2-E5): Weaving Society’s Web: Purpose in a Future Without Work
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Cocooned in webs of lies about happiness and freedom, many people overwork, chained to careers they despise. Would a society without work function and also make people happier? Or would it fail because work is one of the most meaningful human pursuits? More...
EF44 (S2-E5): Reality Unchained: Smashing the Icons of Social Delusion
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Society and culture can be shackles locking us in a mental prison cell. Iconoclastic thinking is a sure way to break the chains and reveal the truth, but it is risky. Does this make ‘why this stuff and not some other stuff’ the most dangerous question you can ask? More...
EF43 (S2-E4): Evil Urges: The Fiery Duality of Human Nature
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The urges of human nature are like fire: they can cook your food or burn your house down. Is evil perceived consistently across people, or should the situation, culture, and individual psychology have a say in its characterization? And does this help define what is evil? More...
(EF42) S2-E3: Civil Individualism: Loneliness Atop Mount Empowerment
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Going against society has the empowering feeling of standing alone on the top of a mountain. But is it even possible to climb to such heights without falling into the lonely pit of self-delusion? And what does it really mean to be an individual? More...
(EF41) S2-E2: Transhuman Fallibility: The Existential Risk of a Superhuman Future
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Technology is like a powerful drug that can either improve you or make you miserable and dependent. Is it our evolutionary fate that we will become superhuman? Or is the codebase of human nature inherently too fallible for the story of transhumanism to end well? More...
EF40 (S2-E1): Dehumanized: The Search for Self in the Devil’s Looking Glass
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Finding your place in society can feel like being forced to replicate the movements of others in a mirror. Does our technology buy us freedom from conforming, or dehumanize us? And do individuals really need society and culture anyway? More...
EF39 (S2-E0): LIFE, UPGRADED: Welcome to Season Two of the Evolve Faster Podcast
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Welcome to Life, Upgraded. On 1/21/2020, ten new cautionary tales of speculative fiction begin to drop every other week. The goal of Season Two of the Evolve Faster Podcast is to help you explore the contracts you’ve unwittingly signed with society and its layers of cultural institutions. Then it will be up to you to decide if it’s time to tear up and rewrite any of them. More...mid-season ONE
EF38 (AMA-EF13): Flow, Creative Improvisation and Other Altered States of Consciousness — Ask Me Anything for Episode EF13
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Through psychological theories ranging from William James to Carl Jung with a neuroscientific backup, the goal is to demystify the long-living mystery as it turns out - what art is and what we believe it to be are two different ideas. Even more important, people who are capable to create art might not just be a chosen few. More...
EF37 (BTP-EF13): Where Creativity Comes From and How to Find Your Uniquely Bloody Fingerprint — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF13
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Through psychological theories ranging from William James to Carl Jung with a neuroscientific backup, the goal is to demystify the long-living mystery as it turns out - what art is and what we believe it to be are two different ideas. Even more important, people who are capable to create art might not just be a chosen few. More...
EF36 (AMA-EF12): Pyrrhic Victory and Finding the 10% of Your Mind that Defines Who You Are — Ask Me Anything for Episode EF12
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The human mind is engraved with a false belief that success is heaven and failure is hell. Sigmund Freud believed our unconscious thoughts and desires define us. So maybe, heaven is a place where the unconscious desires define us, but not control us and hell… well, just look at the commercials. More...
EF35 (BTP-EF12): Cryptocurrencies, Gaming and Leveraging Failure to Help Us Define Who We Are — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF12
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The human mind is engraved with a false belief that success is heaven and failure is hell. Sigmund Freud believed our unconscious thoughts and desires define us. So maybe, heaven is a place where the unconscious desires define us, but not control us and hell… well, just look at the commercials. More...
(EF34) AMA-EF11: On Perfection, the AI Alignment Problem, and the Possibility of Quantum Leaps of Creativity — Ask Me Anything for Episode EF11
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Technology and AI is rapidly evolving at a rate much faster than humanity ever did or could hope for. It's not about if AI will achieve consciousness, but when will we be at least fooled into thinking it has? But does the rapid development automatically mean the end of humankind as we know it? Or is there an alternative route where co-existence is a brighter version of life as it is today? More...
(EF33) BTP-EF11: The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Creativity — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF11
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Technology and AI is rapidly evolving at a rate much faster than humanity ever did or could hope for. It's not about if AI will achieve consciousness, but when will we be at least fooled into thinking it has? But does the rapid development automatically mean the end of humankind as we know it? Or is there an alternative route where co-existence is a brighter version of life as it is today? More...
(EF32) AMA-EF10: Mind Control Through a Well Chosen Tattoo and the Unlikely Case of Being Happy Enough — Ask Me Anything for Episode EF10
PLAY | DOWNLOAD From Ancient India and Greece, to modern Western Culture, we can find countless theories on what happiness is and how to attain it. So why is our ability to attain it no better today—and, by some measures, on the decline—even after thousands of years of intellectual progress? More...
(EF31) BTP-EF10: Dharma Modifying Negative Thinking and the Never Ending Pursuit of Happiness by Embracing Suffering — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF10
PLAY | DOWNLOAD From Ancient India and Greece, to modern Western Culture, we can find countless theories on what happiness is and how to attain it. So why is our ability to attain it no better today—and, by some measures, on the decline—even after thousands of years of intellectual progress? More...
(EF30) AMA-EF9: Emotional Manipulation Tribalism and Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Think Before you Feel — Ask Me Anything for Episode EF9
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Countless theories like the Hurrah/Boo Theory show that we'll jump onto the emotional bandwagon of the masses almost instinctively. Why? To feel safe. But is there a way to break the secure chains of emotions? Is there a way to rationalize the irrational, reason the unreasonable and be ultimately be masters of our feelings? More...
(EF29) BTP-EF9: Waging War Between Reason and Emotions and the Importance of Leaving Things Unresolved — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF9
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Countless theories like the Hurrah/Boo Theory show that we'll jump onto the emotional bandwagon of the masses almost instinctively. Why? To feel safe. But is there a way to break the secure chains of emotions? Is there a way to rationalize the irrational, reason the unreasonable and ultimately be masters of our feelings? More...
(EF28) AMA-EF8: Drugs, Consciousness Manipulation and Cheating Your Way To a Better You — Ask Me Anything for Episode EF8
PLAY | DOWNLOAD You're the sailor of the ship called you, and yet most people let their boats go into great disrepair and neglect. Could a change in your identity actually turn your entire life around for the better? Or are we destined to live with constant susceptibility to being lost in a sea of meaningless actions and emotions without any sort of compass to steer our ship? More...
(EF27) BTP-EF8: Who are You and is it Possible to Upgrage Your Identity as an Adult? — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF8
PLAY | DOWNLOAD You're the sailor of the ship called you, and yet most people let their boats go into great disrepair and neglect. Could a change in your identity actually turn your entire life around for the better? Or are we destined to live with constant susceptibility to being lost in a sea of meaningless actions and emotions without any sort of compass to steer our ship? More...
(EF26) AMA-EF7: The Impossibility of Honest Politicians and Protecting Our Kids from The Most Insidious Fake News — Ask Me Anything for Episode EF7
PLAY | DOWNLOAD It's Edward's job to bestow the black magic of verbal and written manipulation on the businessman to win the election. Where the tongue is quicker than the mind—and the pen sharp enough to cut—are these skills a well-respected art? Or are they just cheap mental tricks wielded by insincere charlatans? More...
(EF25) BTP-EF7: The Power of Propaganda and Rhetoric to Divide Us and the Quest for a Better World — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF7
PLAY | DOWNLOAD It's Edward's job to bestow the black magic of verbal and written manipulation on the businessman to win the election. Where the tongue is quicker than the mind—and the pen sharp enough to cut—are these skills a well-respected art? Or are they just cheap mental tricks wielded by insincere charlatans? More...
(EF24) AMA-EF6: Is Less Really More When it Comes to the Pursuit of Wisdom or is Ignorance Bliss — Ask Me Anything of Episode EF6
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The idea of wisdom goes back to Ancient Greece, from Socrates and Plato, to modern day reinterpretations and research by sociologists like Monika Ardelt. Even if we can define wisdom, is that enough to come by it? Can anyone become truly wise in this world of rapidly changing information? More...
(EF23) BTP-EF6: Scaling Mount Wisdom Without Suffocating Under an Avalanche of Ego — Behind The Podcast of Episode EF6
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The idea of wisdom goes back to Ancient Greece, from Socrates and Plato, to modern day reinterpretations and research by sociologists like Monika Ardelt. Even if we can define wisdom, is that enough to come by it? Can anyone become truly wise in this world of rapidly changing information? More...
(EF22) AMA-EF5: Defeating Fake News and Critical Thinking as the Superpower the World Needs Most — Ask Me Anything of Episode EF5
PLAY | DOWNLOAD To try and understand the truth about truth itself, we'll look at correspondence theory, coherence theory, pragmatism and truth-seeking components of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. Each argument will give us a unique approach to just what the truth might be. But if there can only be one truth, which one is correct? The one molded by your hands, or someone else's hands? More...
(EF21) BTP-EF5: Should Lying be Made Illegal and the Importance of Figuring Out Why You Believe What you Believe — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF5
PLAY | DOWNLOAD To try and understand the truth about truth itself, we'll look at correspondence theory, coherence theory, pragmatism and truth-seeking components of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. But if there can only be one truth, which one is correct? The one molded by your hands, or someone else's hands? More...
(EF20) AMA-EF4: The Declining Value of Information and Taking Risks to Determine What is the Truth — Ask Me Anything of Episode EF4
PLAY | DOWNLOAD In this episode, we'll discover what do the theories of rationalism, empiricism and skepticism have to say about the way we gain new knowledge. Why do rationalism and empiricism seem to collide on how humans function? Would it work to instead just be a skeptic every time you face a new obstacle? More...
(EF19) BTP-EF4: Head Transplantation and Finding Inspiration for Speculative Fiction — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF4
PLAY | DOWNLOAD In this episode, we'll discover what do the theories of rationalism, empiricism and skepticism have to say about the way we gain new knowledge. Why do rationalism and empiricism seem to collide on how humans function? Would it work to instead just be a skeptic every time you face a new obstacle? Finally, is there a way to optimize your mindset and take the best out of every world? More...
(EF18) AMA-EF3: The Mystical Allure of Converting to Buddhism and Speculating about Quantum Mechanics — Ask Me Anything for Episode EF3
PLAY | DOWNLOAD If only there were a way to make everything simple, like an autopilot that steers the train towards an easy, happy and perfect finish line for you. So is there a auto-pilot, golden ticket to all of our life’s problems? Or are all the shortcuts just a one-way ticket towards mental suicide, as Robert Nozick, another famous philosopher, described it? More...
(EF17) BTP-EF3: What Am I Supposed To Do Free Will and Other Everyday Problems — Behind the Podcast of Episode EF3
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The question “What Am I Supposed To Do?” does not refer to your lunch plans. Instead, it’s asking what will you do until the inevitable day comes when you’re 6 feet underground to make sure you live a satisfying life of meaning? Let's dissect submitted questions such as "Do you think we have free will?" More...
(EF16) BTP: On Creative Writing, Video Games and the Future of the Evolve Faster Podcast (About Antonio Rozich)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The big question driving this episode is … Can you turn disagreements into positive results? And can shutting down your ego can lead you to bigger and better discoveries by opening yourself to other people's opinion (without sacrificing your critical thinking and who you want to be)? More...
EF15 (BTP): Behind the Podcast — About Scott Ely and Evolving a Philosophy of Life
PLAY | DOWNLOAD What is the most important thing you’ve learned through all the key experiences of your life? And how often do you reflect on those lessons towards improving how you live? Even if you’re like me and don’t prefer revealing a lot about yourself, I do think this kind of self-reflective exercise is very important towards living an examined life. More...
(EF14) BTP: Behind the Evolve Faster Podcast - The Making of a Speculative Fiction Meets Philosophical Nonfiction Podcast
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Pose yourself this thought experiment: What if you could start over with a brain unhindered by evolutionary hangovers? A fresh life with no societal baggage and an aspirational soul with a complete focus towards finding meaning to your existence? What if that nagging question—what in the hell am I supposed to do?—was easy to answer? More...season one
(EF13) S1-E11: The Bloody Fingerprint of Creativity (Season One, Episode Eleven)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Channeling creativity can feel like fighting an internal battle, leaving behind a bloody fingerprint. So if there is a unique brand of art within you, why is creativity treated as something possessed by a lucky few? And is creativity really such a precious human trait anyway? More...
(EF12) S1-E10: Wired to Fail: Leveling Up in the Game of Life (Season One, Episode Ten)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Failing in a video game usually leads to a desire to overcome the obstacle the next time. So why do we so often live our lives desiring a comfortable bubble where we hand the controller to someone else? Because aren’t these failures what most define us anyway? More...
(EF11) S1-E9: When the Lights Go Out: The Blinding Light of an Artificial Future (Season One, Episode Nine)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD AI may soon make humans seem as inferior as a regular light bulb is to the sun. Will this progress end with AI stripped of emotional baggage? Or might AI help evolve creativity and emotions even further to shine even brighter light into the human experience? More...
(EF10) S1-E8: The Road to Happiness is Inked in Suffering (Season One, Episode Eight)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Even though today’s world is obsessed with happiness, many measures would indicate it’s attainment is on the decline. What if happiness isn’t a lovely, attainable destination, but instead, a journey of learning to embrace day-to-day suffering? And does happiness define the good anyway? More...
(EF9) S1-E7: I Feel Therefore I am: Capsized by the River Emotion (Season One, Episode Seven)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Emotions often make life harder; but without them, life would be as bland as rafting in a baby pool. But what if you could control the unpredictable emotional current? Would this mindset help you to be rational even in the undertow of heavy emotions? More...
(EF8) S1-E6: Without a Compass: All Who Sail the Seas of Identity Are Not Lost (Season One, Episode Six)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The ship that is our identity never floats on the same water twice. But if you could upgrade yours with a compass telling you exactly how to navigate life’s rough emotional waters, would you be better off? And would this help you better understand who you are? More...
(EF7) S1-E5: Sleight of Mind: The Black Magic of Rhetoric (Season One, Episode Five)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Evolution gifted humans with minds able to create complex abstractions like language. But what if this ability is manipulated to hold power over others like a spell cast with black magic? And can we trust reason and our ability to protect ourselves? More...
(EF6) S1-E4: Information Mainlining and the Folly of Modern Wisdom (Season One, Episode Four)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Often we look outside for answers that reside within us. In a world of self-inflicted distractions, is unlimited access to information a cure or an addiction? And is the definition of wisdom changing now that endless knowledge is virtually free? More...
(EF5) S1-E3: The Truth is Clay in the Hands of a Sculptor (Season One, Episode Three)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD Facts are like soft clay in the social media age and the most skilled sculptors seem to reshape them to their needs. But would the world be a better place if lying were illegal and a severely punishable offense? And what is the truth anyway? More...
(EF4) S1-E2: The Decapitation of Reason: A Skeptic’s Guide (Season One, Episode Two)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD We rarely have a chance to change the world. If you could prove something fundamental about the human experience, but it came at an enormous cost, would you have the guts? And what if you proved humanity can’t really know anything? More...
(EF3) S1-E1: All Aboard the Experience Machine: Destination…Unknown (Season One, Episode One)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD The journey to living a meaningful life can feel hopeless, like riding a train through the wilderness at night. But if there was an autopilot track that guaranteed a happy life, would you take it? Would this solve the nagging “What am I supposed to do” riddle? More...
(EF2) Intro: Life is a Near Death Experience (Welcome to the Evolve Faster Podcast)
PLAY | DOWNLOAD George Carlin joked that life is a near-death experience. But what if this clever wit is actually concealing the meaning of life itself? And if you could access this truth using some tricks to completely reset your mind, life and soul, would you have the guts to do it? More...