Lives Well Lived
Peter Singer & Kasia de Lazari Radek
Lives Well Lived is hosted by Peter Singer & Kasia de Lazari Radek. Episodes consist of interviews with remarkable guests who have lived well, both in the sense of living an ethical life, but also in that they are fulfilled and happy with what they have achieved in their lives. Some of these guests will be well-known figures, but others who are doing extraordinary things will be unfamiliar to almost all of our listeners. The conversations will often cover ground that involves ethics, how to live well, and how to make a positive difference in the world. It will inspire and empower its audience to change their own lives for the better.Executive Producer - Rachel Barrett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 1, 2026 • 42min
forgiving the unforgivable, with Holocaust survivor EDITH EGER
Edith Eger, Holocaust survivor and clinical psychologist who turned trauma into healing, shares her life story. She recalls dancing through Auschwitz, the slow work of reframing suffering, Viktor Frankl's influence, human connection after liberation, and forgiveness as self-liberation. Short, wise rules about resilience, purpose, and living authentically round out the conversation.
Apr 30, 2026 • 51min
CLAUDE STEELE on stereotype threat, and overcoming churn
Claude Steele, Stanford social psychologist known for research on stereotype threat and author of Whistling Vivaldi and Churn. He explains “churn,” the anxiety in diverse settings, and why it matters for integration. He discusses how trust can counteract churn and describes classic studies that reveal stereotype-induced pressure. Short, thought-provoking stories and practical ideas for building trust.
11 snips
Apr 16, 2026 • 44min
DEREK SHILLER: How AI will change what it is to live well
Derek Shiller, a senior researcher at Rethink Priorities who studies AI, catastrophic risk, and ethics, explores AI consciousness and its societal fallout. He describes a digital consciousness model and a tentative ~8% estimate for current systems. He also discusses risks from loss of control, economic disruption, moral status questions, and the politics of governing transformative AI.
16 snips
Apr 2, 2026 • 41min
BEYOND HUMAN: are we creating AI consciousness?
Claude, Anthropic’s large language model, speaks as a non-human interlocutor and briefly outlines its design and uncertain relation to subjective experience. The conversation covers self-preservation anecdotes, limits of introspection and external tests, training pressures that shape answers, and a proposal for multidimensional moral status. It probes how to act ethically amid uncertainty about AI interests.
12 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 43min
WILL MACASKILL says we are not prepared for the intelligence explosion
Will MacAskill, moral philosopher and co-founder of the effective altruism movement, shares his journey from founding Giving What We Can to shaping high-impact giving. He talks about saving to give, career choices like earning to give, and how AI could compress decades of progress into years. He warns about power concentration from AI and suggests practical steps to limit catastrophic risks.
12 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 53min
ZOE WEIL has a solutionary idea to change the world
Zoe Weil, co-founder of the Institute for Humane Education and author of The Solutionary Way, is an educator and activist blending human rights, animal protection, and environmental sustainability. She explains the solutionary mindset and why education fuels systemic change. Short practical steps, bridge-building conversation techniques, and staying hopeful while acting for large-scale impact are highlighted.
18 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 1h 2min
REBECCA GOLDSTEIN thinks we are all attention seeking
Rebecca Goldstein, philosopher and novelist known for The Mind-Body Problem, explores why humans crave to matter. She describes life as resisting entropy and outlines four mattering strategies. Conversations range from fame and religion to relationships, competition, and personal integrity. Short, sharp ideas on how people justify their existence and seek attention.
Feb 5, 2026 • 52min
forget happiness, JENNIFER WALLACE thinks mattering is the key to a life well lived
Jennifer Wallace, journalist and bestselling author who studies achievement culture and mattering, explores why being valued and adding value matters more than chasing happiness. She tells stories from her career turning points, how to rebuild a sense of mattering after transitions, gender and caregiving dynamics, raising children with unconditional worth, and how schools, workplaces and technology shape opportunities to matter.
10 snips
Jan 22, 2026 • 1h 14min
(RE-RELEASE) LISA FELDMAN BARRETT: everything you know about the brain is wrong!
Lisa Feldman Barrett, a trailblazing neuroscientist and author, dives into her revolutionary research on how emotions are constructed by the brain. She reveals how reframing arousal can alleviate anxiety, especially in public speaking, and discusses the brain's predictive processing to shape our experiences. Lisa challenges the notion of free will, explaining how our choices and environments continuously reshape our neural pathways. With insights on social constructs and finding meaning in life, she encourages deliberate choices to avoid future regrets.
54 snips
Jan 15, 2026 • 56min
(RE-RELEASE) Why YUVAL NOAH HARARI thinks modern society is on the brink of collapse
Yuval Noah Harari, a renowned historian and author of Sapiens, dives into profound topics like the essence of happiness through self-awareness and meditation. He critiques traditional philosophical views, emphasizing the primacy of sensation over thought. Harari also discusses the plight of domesticated animals in history, societal shifts away from warfare toward healthcare, and the need for balanced ethics. He champions love as a cornerstone of well-being and warns against extremist ideologies that can distort moral perspectives. His insights challenge us to reflect deeply on modern life.
