Making Sense with Sam Harris
Sam Harris
Join neuroscientist, philosopher, and five-time New York Times best-selling author Sam Harris as he explores important and controversial questions about the mind, society, current events, moral philosophy, religion, and rationality—with an overarching focus on how a growing understanding of ourselves and the world is changing our sense of how we should live.
Sam is also the creator of the Waking Up app. Combining Sam's decades of mindfulness practice, profound wisdom from varied philosophical and contemplative traditions, and a commitment to a secular, scientific worldview, Waking Up is a resource for anyone interested in living a more examined, fulfilling life—and a new operating system for the mind.
Waking Up offers free subscriptions to anyone who can't afford one, and donates a minimum of 10% of profits to the most effective charities around the world. To learn more, please go to WakingUp.com.
Sam Harris received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA.
Sam is also the creator of the Waking Up app. Combining Sam's decades of mindfulness practice, profound wisdom from varied philosophical and contemplative traditions, and a commitment to a secular, scientific worldview, Waking Up is a resource for anyone interested in living a more examined, fulfilling life—and a new operating system for the mind.
Waking Up offers free subscriptions to anyone who can't afford one, and donates a minimum of 10% of profits to the most effective charities around the world. To learn more, please go to WakingUp.com.
Sam Harris received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA.
Episodes
Mentioned books
92 snips
Mar 24, 2026 • 19min
#466 — What Is Technology Doing to Us?
Sam Harris speaks with Nicholas Christakis about technology, society, and human nature. They discuss the harms of modern communication technology, polarization and anomie, how AI agents can improve human cooperation, the social implications of humanoid robots, Christakis's experience at the center of the woke moral panic at Yale, the Trump administration's assault on American universities and science, the collapse of public trust in institutions, and other topics. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.
248 snips
Mar 18, 2026 • 36min
#465 — More From Sam: Iran, Jihadism, Conspiracism, AI Disruption, the Manosphere, and More
A fast-moving tour of the Iran war, botched political messaging, and the moral confusion surrounding jihadism and antisemitism. It also touches on conspiracy culture, how to stay content in uncertain times, AI shaking up white-collar work, philanthropy among the ultra-rich, and the online world of the manosphere.
219 snips
Mar 16, 2026 • 1h 22min
#464 — The Politics of Pragmatism and the Future of California
Matt Mahan, San Jose mayor, former teacher, and tech entrepreneur, talks California dysfunction with a results-first mindset. They dig into homelessness, shelter-first policy, housing scarcity, rent control, wealth taxes, psychiatric holds, Sacramento special interests, and why building anything in California feels nearly impossible.
106 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 22min
#463 — Privatizing the Apocalypse
Rob Reid, a venture capitalist and author focused on biosecurity and pandemic risk, discusses alarming fragilities in our defenses. He recounts the Deep Vision controversy and why virus hunting and publishing genomes can be dangerous. They explore gain-of-function risks, open science norms that could enable misuse, and how AI and lone actors might accelerate biological threats.
236 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 20min
#462 — More From Sam: The Iran War, American Amorality, Addressing Hopelessness, Tucker, and More
A wide-ranging conversation about U.S. military action and whether striking Iran was justified. A look at American amorality and the erosion of international norms. Concerns about rising antisemitism across the political spectrum. Reflections on provocative media moments, social media’s cultural damage, and the risks and promise of psychedelics.
134 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 29min
#461 — Dictators Always Tell You What They'll Do
Garry Kasparov, former world chess champion turned democracy advocate, warns from Soviet-era experience about how dictators telegraph their plans. He discusses Trump as a systemic threat, the GOP's moral collapse, the 2026 stakes for U.S. democracy, Russia's role and Putin's threats, and what a Ukrainian victory would mean for the free world.
107 snips
Feb 20, 2026 • 22min
#460 — When the Center Cannot Hold
Jonah Goldberg, conservative commentator and longtime National Review figure, reflects on the fracturing of American conservatism and the politicization of federal institutions. He discusses reheating government norms after Trump. He explores party incentives driving polarization, infighting over figures like Nick Fuentes, and the political mechanics shaping midterms and oversight.
65 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 10min
#459 — More From Sam: Corruption, Immigration, The End of White-Collar Work, and More
Jaron, a frequent conversational partner who discusses current events and cultural topics, joins Sam for a wide-ranging chat. They tackle Trump’s UAE crypto deal and national security concerns. They debate rapid AI timelines and the looming end of many white-collar jobs. They also cover immigration impacts on population, potential U.S. action in Iran, and recent cultural controversies.
222 snips
Feb 11, 2026 • 59min
#458 — The Bulwark Against MAGA
Tim Miller, political communications pro and anti-Trump commentator, and Sarah Longwell, Republican strategist and co-founder of The Bulwark, join to trace The Bulwark’s origins. They probe why smart people back Trump. They map the voters-media-politician loop, discuss memory-holing January 6, and unpack infotainment’s role in radicalizing audiences.
125 snips
Feb 5, 2026 • 16min
#457 — More From Sam: The Epstein Files, The Newsom Factor, Don Lemon's Arrest, AI Market Disruption, and More
They unpack surprising appearances in the Epstein files and what continued association implies. They debate public reactions, conspiracy limits, and gradations of culpability. They consider political viability for 2028 and the wisdom of celebrity political statements. They also touch on AI-driven job disruption and a personal family medical issue that changed tour plans.
