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Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg

Spencer Greenberg
Mental Health
Artificial Intelligence
Psychology
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Climate Change
Critical Thinking
Effective Altruism
Education
Replication Crisis
Cash Transfers
Therapy
Innovation
Democracy
Happiness
Empathy
Universal Basic Income
Environmental Policy
Burnout
Personal Development
Charitable Giving

Clearer Thinking is a podcast about ideas that truly matter. If you enjoy learning about powerful, practical concepts and frameworks, wish you had more deep, intellectual conversations in your life, or are looking for non-BS self-improvement, then we think you'll love this podcast! Each week we invite a brilliant guest to bring four important ideas to discuss for an in-depth conversation. Topics i... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes324Founded6 years ago
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Social SciencesScience

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Artwork for Clearer Thinking

Latest Episodes

Read the full transcript here.

What does “neurodivergent” actually mean, and has the term become too broad to be useful? Why might people grouped under the same neurodivergent umbrella have conflicting needs? Is autism really a single spectrum, or w... more

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Why is producing meat so inefficient? How does animal agriculture contribute to hunger and malnutrition? How large are the environmental costs of meat production? How does industrial animal agriculture increase the ris... more

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What makes an attachment to AI meaningfully different from an attachment to a human, animal, or fictional character? If chatbot relationships are built around validation and adaptation, can they ever provide the fricti... more

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Why do people gravitate toward self-help that reinforces the strategies they already use well? How can we identify the default lens through which we interpret nearly every situation? What changes when we recognize that... more

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Recent Guests

Jonathan Machnee
Researcher focused on autism, religion, and society; conducted extensive interviews and online data studies
Independent researcher / Autism and Religion project
Episode: Neurodiversity, Autism, Awe, and Religious Experience (with Jonathan Machnee)
Bruce Friedrich
Advocate for alternative proteins and executive in the plant-based/cultivated meat space
The Good Food Institute (GFI) / vegan advocacy leadership
Episode: Can We End Factory Farming Without Giving Up Meat? (with Bruce Friedrich)
Claire Boine
Researcher focusing on AI, emotion, and policy related to human-AI relationships
[not explicitly stated in transcript]
Episode: Our relationship to chatbots (with Claire Boine)
Cate Hall
Self-help author appearing as a guest
Episode: The good advice you least want (with Cate Hall)
Alex Armlovich
Urban economist and housing policy expert
Episode: Why housing costs so much and what can be done about it (with Alex Armlovich)
Stephen Zerfas
Guest on the episode discussing meditation and performance
Journey (meditation program)
Episode: How To Pursue Goals without Striving (with Stephen Zerfas)
Tor Parsons
Creator of Tor's Cabinet of Curiosities, YouTube host
Tor's Cabinet of Curiosities
Episode: Bicameral Minds and Leaderless Tribes (with Tor Parsons)
Eric Zimmer
Author and podcaster, expert on behavioral change and recovery
Author of How a Little Becomes a Lot
Episode: How Small Actions Rewrite Identity (with Eric Zimmer)
Jeremy Stevenson
Co-author of The Twelve Levers
The Twelve Levers (book)
Episode: The Twelve Levers for a better life (with Jeremy Stevenson)

Host

Spencer Greenberg
Host of Clearer Thinking

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 502 ratings
  • Spencer gives very unique and insightful interviews of his guests. Topics vary, but are always fascinating.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    chiefthe
    8 months ago
  • Many interesting guests with different backgrounds and ideas, with an intelligent host that asks smart questions!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Kevin Lalumiere
    8 months ago
  • New Listener

    I’m a new listener but so far so good. I appreciate discussions where the purpose is to communicate ideas and generate understanding and that is what I’m seeing here so far. I do feel like a little bit of background or context at the opening would be useful. Just listened to an entire episode without knowing who the guest was (I wasn’t able to read the title as I was driving). Other than that, and the dash of pretentiousness from the host, I found it enjoyable and informative. Thank you for prov... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Who Writes Reviews, Anyway?
    United States9 months ago
  • Interesting idea for a podcast, but the first episode I listened to involved pretending to solve pretend problems. Sadly, a waste of time, unfortunately. (Climate change)

    Podcast Addict
    2
    Whitaker
    a year ago
  • Illuminating, insightful, incisive, inspiring!

    Clearer Thinking is one of the most consistently valuable podcasts I’ve ever listened to. Spencer Greenberg is a masterful host — thoughtful, respectful, and endlessly curious. He asks questions that cut right to the heart of the topic, and his guests always bring fresh, evidence-based ideas that make me really hopeful about the growth of human knowledge and understanding wide ranges of the human experience.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SydneyApted
    Canadaa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests consistently bring fresh, practical ideas grounded in research.
Episodes are thought-provoking and deeply engaging, with high-quality guests.
Audience notes the mix of topics is broad yet consistently rigorous.
Listeners commend the host for curiosity, clarity, and evidence-based discussions.
Some reviews mention occasional host monologues or a desire for more context at episode start.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Neurodiversity, Autism, Awe, and Religious Experience (with Jonathan Machnee)
Q: How do autistic people typically engage with religious practice or transformative experiences like awe and group emotion?
Autistic individuals often experience religious practice differently, sometimes lacking typical feelings of awe or collective ecstasy; they may prefer ritualistic or formulaic religious settings and tend to process religion more cognitively or literarily rather than emotionally.
Neurodiversity, Autism, Awe, and Religious Experience (with Jonathan Machnee)
Q: What does the phrase neurodivergent mean?
It's a broad umbrella that covers people whose brains differ from the norm, but its exact scope varies by who you ask, leading to debates about inclusivity and policy implications.
Our relationship to chatbots (with Claire Boine)
Q: Is policy slow to respond, or can governments move quickly in emergencies when AI risks emerge?
Governments can and do act swiftly in urgent situations, as shown by rapid responses in crises; the EU AI Act took years to pass, while other scenarios (e.g., sanctions or national security actions) can be enacted much faster when needed.
How To Pursue Goals without Striving (with Stephen Zerfas)
Q: How do you describe clean fuel in meditation and its impact on daily life?
Clean fuel refers to mental habits that nurture self-compassion, play, and ease; when applied to goal pursuit, they enable flow, better sleep, more creative decisions, and sustainable motivation rather than burnout.
How To Pursue Goals without Striving (with Stephen Zerfas)
Q: What is the practical approach to meditation that avoids self-abuse while pursuing goals?
Move toward explicit goals but relate to them with self-compassion, use feedback-rich instruction, and practice 'clean fuel' habits to reduce self-criticism and burnout while maintaining progress toward goals.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Clearer Thinking

What is Clearer Thinking about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thought-provoking show that centers on practical ideas across psychology, philosophy, economics, science, and technology. Each episode features a guest who brings four key ideas to explore in depth, resulting in literature-grounded discussions and actionable frameworks for thinking, decision-making, and behavior change. The host pursues clarity through rigorous questioning and invites guests with diverse expertise, producing conversations that blend theory with real-world applications. Noteworthy traits include a strong emphasis on evidence, cognitive tools, and topics that help listeners improve thinking, habits, and understanding of complex systems. The mix of guests—from economists and philosophers to clinicians and AI researchers—tend... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Clearer Thinking?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Clearer Thinking:

1. 80,000 Hours Podcast
2. Conversations with Tyler
3. Making Sense with Sam Harris
4. Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)
5. Very Bad Wizards

How many episodes of Clearer Thinking are there?

Clearer Thinking launched 6 years ago and published 324 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Clearer Thinking?

Recent guests on Clearer Thinking include:

1. Jonathan Machnee
2. Bruce Friedrich
3. Claire Boine
4. Cate Hall
5. Alex Armlovich
6. Stephen Zerfas
7. Tor Parsons
8. Eric Zimmer

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