Wiser Than Yesterday: Educational Book Reviews and Summaries

The relationship between language, thought and culture is of concern to anyone with an interest in what it means to be human.

The Language Puzzle by Steven Mithen explains how the invention of words at 1.6 million years ago began the evolution of human language from the ape-like calls of our earliest ancestors to our capabilities of today, with over 6000 languages in the world and each of us knowing over 50,000 words.

Out of interest in correctness, Sam investigates cultural ideas across other books from Richard Wrangham, Christopher Boem and Yuval Noah Harari to create this tour de force episode on what the hell was going on.

Drawing on the latest discoveries in archaeology, linguistics, psychology, and genetics, this episode reconstructs the steps by which language evolved; how it transformed the nature of thought and culture, and how we talked our way out of the Stone Age into the world of farming and swiftly into today's Digital Age.

- - -
About Wiser Pod
Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris
👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris
🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology
🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke
👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke
🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

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How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

Available on all podcast players:
SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Little Miracles and Airplanes
02:26 Wiser pod Introduction
03:32 Framing the Four-Part Journey
05:49 The Compression Problem
09:30 Act 1 – Cognitive Basis of Language
09:30 Biological History of Languages
14:27 The Interconnected Brain
18:03 Complex Words and Abstract Ideas
21:50 Ad Break
22:13 Words, Planning, and Teamwork
23:10 Act 2 – Gossip, Myths & Religion
23:10 Gossip and the Glue of Society
26:48 Myths and Shared Delusions
31:42 Early Religions, Animism and Cave Art
34:39 Act 3 – Self-Domestication
34:45 Shame, Blushing, and Human Civility
38:10 Invitation to Continue on How to Change the World

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Bruce Lee was an intense man with such sheer concentration of energy that no one who encountered him, on screen or in person, could help but be drawn to him and his enthusiasm for life and knowledge.
Bruce Lee: Artist of Life explores the development and fruition of Bruce Lee's thoughts about gung fu (kung fu), philosophy, psychology, poetry, jeet kune do, acting, and self-knowledge.

Imagine being so annoyingly good at punching people that your dad has to ship you to another continent. That, more or less, is where our story with Bruce Lee begins.

Bruce Lee wasn’t born a legend. He built one, habit by habit.

This episode breaks down six simple, brutal habits that turned a skinny Hong Kong troublemaker into the most recognisable martial artist on earth. It’s surprisingly copy‑and‑pasteable into a normal life:
Turn failure into a feedback loop instead of an identity crisis.
Build a simple notebook ritual that actually shapes your decisions.
Design one “Bruce Lee hour” a day to practice your craft like it matters.
Hit play, and steal Bruce’s operating system, not just his quotes.

- - -
About Wiser Pod
Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris
LinkedIn - Sam Harris
History of Innovation Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke
LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke
AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World

SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?
RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chapters
00:00 Bruce Lee’s First Boxing Match
01:55 Determined to Succeed in Acting
02:23 Bruce Lee’s Habits of Success
02:57 #1 – Embrace Failure on the Path to Success
04:49 #2 – Carry a Notebook Everywhere
05:48 #3 – Repeat Goals to Yourself
08:41 #4 – Practice Your Craft Constantly
10:12 #5 – Constantly Read a Variety of Subjects
11:45 #6 – Research and Adapt
15:01 Bruce Lee’s Influence After 50 Years
15:22 Send Off

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this stunningly original book, Richard Wrangham argues that it was cooking that caused the extraordinary transformation of our ancestors from apelike beings to Homo erectus. At the heart of Catching Fire lies an explosive new idea: the habit of eating cooked rather than raw food permitted the digestive tract to shrink and the human brain to grow, helped structure human society, and created the male-female division of labour. As our ancestors adapted to using fire, humans emerged as "the cooking apes".

Covering everything from food-labelling and overweight pets to raw-food faddists, Catching Fire offers a startlingly original argument about how we came to be the social, intelligent, and sexual species we are today.

- - -
About Wiser Pod
Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris
👋 LinkedIn - Sam Harris
🧠 Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology
🚀 New Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke
👋 LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke
🤖 AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

Available on all podcast players:
SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?
RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chapters
00:00 The Role of Fire in Civilization
02:20 Introduction: Who is in control
03:55 Fire's Impact on Predators and Prey
05:59 First Fire - 500 million years ago
09:24 Humans and fire - ~2 million years ago
11:36 The Discovery of Fire
13:07 When did we discover Fire
13:48 Stadium of Grandmothers
14:51 Fire's Influence on Human Biology
17:22 Fire and Human Digestion
19:43 Light and Campfires
21:52 Mealtimes
23:00 Fire's Role in Human Birth and Survival
24:51 Why Only Humans Mastered Fire
27:22 Fire, Social Structures & Gender Roles
32:42 Role Change in the Information Age
34:45 Fire's Role in Human Expansion - 70,000 years ago
35:11 Second half of the episode on the new show
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is there more chance we'll believe something if it's in a bold type face? Why are judges more likely to deny parole before lunch? Why do we assume a good-looking person will be more competent?

The answer lies in the two ways we make choices: fast, intuitive thinking, and slow, rational thinking. This book reveals how our minds are tripped up by error and prejudice (even when we think we are being logical), and gives you practical techniques for slower, smarter thinking. It will enable to you make better decisions at work, at home, and in everything you do.

Sam gives a full break down of the main lessons in the book Thinking Fast and Slow. From our system 1 and system 2 thinking to how different biases form and why.

To hear about the psychology of biases you can listen to a full season on the Growth Mindset Pod

- - -
About Wiser Pod
Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris
LinkedIn - Sam Harris
History of Innovation Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke
LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke
AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World

SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?
RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

----

Chapters
00:00 Cognitive Biases
02:40 System 1 and System 2
04:05 How both systems Work Together
05:31 System 1's Impact on Decision Making
07:08 System 1 and Politics
10:10 The Teenage Brain and System 2 Development
11:14 Cognitive Biases and Their Impact
17:20 The Law of Large Number
22:15 Prospect Theory and Risk Assessment
22:33 The Cookie Analogy: Understanding Loss Aversion
23:18 Rationality and Utility Theory in Economics
25:16 Prospect Theory: Perception of Value and Risk
26:52 Probability and Decision Making
29:05 The Experiencing Self vs. The Remembering Self
30:53 The Peak-End Rule and Its Impact on Memory
34:25 Pleasure vs Satisfaction
37:36 The Focusing Illusion: What Really Matters
43:17 Final Thoughts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Brexit more important than Bitcoin? How do we rank Buddhism vs TikTok?

The world changes, technology advances, but what really matters and how much? Sam explains the Innovation Richter Scale, a framework for understanding impact at every level of technology and what it means to society.

In Nate Silver's book "On The Edge", he introduces a Technology Richter scale to determine the impact of AI. Sam takes the idea much, much further because it's cool.

- - -
About Wiser Pod
Nico and Sam set out to read the world's best books, from philosophy to sci-fi, economics to who knows what.

Sam Webster Harris
LinkedIn - Sam Harris
Psychology Pod - Growth Mindset Psychology
History of Innovation Pod - How to Change the World

Nicolas Vereecke
LinkedIn - Nico Vereecke
AI world domination - Evil Plan Inc

- - -

How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation

Available on all podcast players:
SPOTIFY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
APPLE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can't find it on your player?
RSS feed - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chapters
00:00 Innovation Richter Scale
01:47 Why create a Scale?
04:32 Earthquake Metaphor
06:54 Invention, Innovation, Technology
06:54 Ranking Magnitude not Morality
08:01 The Innovation Richter Scale - Level 1 - 10
08:04 Level 1 - Shower thoughts
08:23 Level 2 - Actioned Idea (In private)
08:42 Level 3 - Public ideas (Not popular)
10:10 Level 4 - Popular and commercial ideas
11:01 Level 5 - Defining Brand
12:31 Level 6 - Innovation of the year
15:53 Level 7 - Innovation of the Decade
18:12 Level 8 - Innovation of the Century
21:22 Level 9 - Innovation of the Era
23:46 Level 10 - Species Epoch
28:24 Wrap up and where to find part 2
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