TED Talks
TED: How to fight for democracy in the shadow of autocracy | Fatma Karume
Democracy may be an abstract concept, but it holds the very essence of our autonomy and humanity, says lawyer and human rights advocate Fatma Karume. Sharing her journey navigating a tumultuous political transition in Tanzania that put...
TED Talks
TED: Democracy works — we just need better leaders | Lindiwe Mazibuko
South Africa transitioned to democracy in the 1990s with a visionary constitution, but the promises of that constitution are largely unfulfilled to this day. Public leader Lindiwe Mazibuko explores how poor leadership failed to deliver a...
TED Talks
TED: Birds aren't real? How a conspiracy takes flight | Peter McIndoe
Peter McIndoe isn't a fan of birds. In fact, he has a theory about them that might shock you. Listen along to this eye-opening talk as it takes a turn and makes a larger point about conspiracies, truth and belonging in divisive times.
SciShow
Placebos & Nocebos: How Your Brain Heals and Hurts You
You've probably heard how some drugs and treatments make people feel better, even when they turn out to be fake. That's the placebo effect, but how does it work? And could the same effect backfire, causing your brain to make you feel...
Crash Course
Indiana Jones & Pascal's Wager: Crash Course Philosophy
Today we conclude our unit on Philosophy of Religion and Hank gets a little help from Indiana Jones to explain religious pragmatism and Pascal’s Wager, fideism, and Kierkegaard’s leap to faith.
SciShow
Placebos Work Even if You Know They’re Placebos!
Placebos can alleviate all sorts of symptoms, but there's debate about their usage from an ethical standpoint. Of course, a doctor can't tell a patient they're taking placebos or they won't work anymore... or will they?
TED Talks
Kwame Anthony Appiah: Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question)
Plenty of good things are done in the name of religion, and plenty of bad things too. But what is religion, exactly — is it good or bad, in and of itself? Philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah offers a generous, surprising view.
TED Talks
TED: The seeds of change helping African farmers grow out of poverty | Andrew Youn
Farmers stand at the center of the world, says Andrew Youn, cofounder of One Acre Fund, an agricultural organization that's empowering sub-Saharan farm families with the loans, seeds, fertilizer and training needed to increase crop...
SciShow
Why You Might Not Want to Be ‘The Smart Kid’
Whether or not you think of yourself as "the smart kid" might affect your grades a lot more than how smart you are.
TED Talks
Richard Dawkins: Militant atheism
Richard Dawkins urges all atheists to openly state their position -- and to fight the incursion of the church into politics and science. A fiery, funny, powerful talk.
TED Talks
Michael Shermer: The pattern behind self-deception
Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things -- from alien abductions to dowsing rods -- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are, and how they get us into...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Ethical dilemma: Who should you believe? | Alex Worsnip
You're sitting on the couch, when you hear a knock on the door. The police have arrived to arrest your spouse— for murder. This accusation comes as a total shock, but their fingerprints were found on the murder weapon. Your spouse...
Crash Course
Divine Command Theory: Crash Course Philosophy
As we venture into the world of ethics, there are a lot of different answers to the grounding problem for us to explore. One of the oldest and most popular is the divine command theory. But with age comes a long history of questions,...
TED Talks
Bastian Schaefer: A 3D-printed jumbo jet?
Designer Bastian Schaefer shows off a speculative design for the future of jet planes, with a skeleton inspired by strong, flexible, natural forms and by the needs of the world's, ahem, growing population. Imagine an airplane that's full...
TED Talks
Eldra Jackson: How I unlearned dangerous lessons about masculinity
In a powerful talk, educator Eldra Jackson III shares how he unlearned dangerous lessons about masculinity through Inside Circle, an organization that leads group therapy for incarcerated men. Now he's helping others heal by creating a...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: Music and creativity in Ancient Greece - Tim Hansen
You think you love music? You have nothing on the Ancient Greek obsession. Every aspect of Greek life was punctuated by song: history, poetry, theater, sports and even astronomy. In fact, music was so important to Greek philosopher Plato...
TED Talks
Sunni Brown: Doodlers, unite!
Studies show that sketching and doodling improve our comprehension -- and our creative thinking. So why do we still feel embarrassed when we're caught doodling in a meeting? Sunni Brown says: Doodlers, unite! She makes the case for...
Crash Course
Cartesian Skepticism - Neo, Meet Rene: Crash Course Philosophy
This week Hank introduces skepticism, exploring everything from the nature of reality through the eyes of a 17th century philosopher and, of course, The Matrix.
Crash Course
Karl Popper, Science, & Pseudoscience: Crash Course Philosophy
The early 1900s was an amazing time for Western science, as Albert Einstein was developing his theories of relativity and psychology was born, as Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis took over the scientific mainstream. Karl Popper observed...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The murder of ancient Alexandria's greatest scholar - Soraya Field Fiorio
Dive into the life of one of Ancient Rome’s most powerful figures, Hypatia of Alexandria, a renowned scholar and political advisor to the city's leaders. -- In the city of Alexandria in 415 CE, the bishop and the governor were in a...
SciShow
Placebos & Nocebos: How Your Brain Heals and Hurts You
You've probably heard how some drugs and treatments make people feel better, even when they turn out to be fake. That's the placebo effect, but how does it work? And could the same effect backfire, causing your brain to make you feel...
SciShow
International Skeptics Day Playlist
In honor of October 13th, International Skeptics Day, Hank has put together this playlist of some of the most interesting science-y, skeptic-y videos from all around YouTube.
TED Talks
TED: How I'm working for change inside my church | Chelsea Shields
How do we respect someone's religious beliefs, while also holding religion accountable for the damage those beliefs may cause? Chelsea Shields has a bold answer to this question. She was raised in the orthodox Mormon tradition, and she...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: Where do superstitions come from? - Stuart Vyse
Are you afraid of black cats? Would you open an umbrella indoors? How do you feel about the number 13? Whether or not you believe in them, you're probably familiar with a few of these superstitions. But where did they come from? Stuart...