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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
Replication Crisis
Education
Cash Transfers
Therapy
Innovation
Democracy
Happiness
Empathy
Universal Basic Income
Environmental Policy
Burnout
Charitable Giving
Personal Development

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes317Founded6 years ago
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Social SciencesScience

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Artwork for Clearer Thinking

Latest Episodes

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What changes when we stop imagining transformation as a single breakthrough and start seeing it as thousands of small, low-resistance actions? How do we know whether a small action is genuinely sustainable or merely an... more

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Why is so much self-help useless, and why is some of it genuinely life-changing? What separates a powerful psychological technique from vague advice? Why is “love yourself” often less useful than a concrete sequence of... more

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How do we know whether the things we do every day actually work? Why do so many practices in medicine, parenting, education, conservation, and public policy begin as intuition, authority, or anecdote rather than carefu... more

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How much good is lost when charity optimizes only for what can be measured? When does a cost-effectiveness model clarify reality, and when does it create false confidence? Could the most important interventions be the ... more

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Recent Guests

Nick Allardice
CEO of GiveDirectly, former CEO of Change.org
GiveDirectly / Change.org
Episode: Is cash a better form of charitable aid? (with Nick Allardice)
Christine Padesky
Therapist, author of Mind Over Mood
Mind Over Mood / CBT author
Episode: When painful thoughts feel true but aren't (with Christine Padesky)
Malo Bourgon
AI policy and governance researcher; affiliated with the MIRI governance and comms efforts
MIRI
Episode: Could an international agreement protect us from dangerous AI? (with Malo Bourgon)
Kate Manne
Philosopher and author; professor of philosophy
Cornell University
Episode: Is patriarchy gone or hiding in plain sight? (with Kate Manne)
George Bonanno
Trauma researcher and psychologist
Columbia University
Episode: What's true and what's myth about trauma? (with George Bonnano)
Christian Ferko
Theoretical physicist specializing in string theory
Northeastern University
Episode: Is string theory BS or the most promising theory in physics? (with Christian Ferko)
Christian B. Miller
Professor of philosophy, author of The Honesty Crisis
Wake Forest University
Episode: Are we in an honesty crisis? (with Christian B. Miller)
Anton Korinek
Economist, expert on AI and economics
College of Europe / Johns Hopkins University (as discussed)
Episode: What impact will AI have on jobs and the economy? (with Anton Korinek)
Christopher Kavanagh
Scholar analyzing gurus and skeptic movements
Decoding The Gurus (podcast)
Episode: The seductiveness of secular gurus (with Christopher Kavanagh)

Host

Spencer Greenberg
Host of Clearer Thinking Podcast

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 497 ratings
  • Spencer gives very unique and insightful interviews of his guests. Topics vary, but are always fascinating.

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

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Kevin Lalumiere
    5 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 States6 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
    9 months 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
    Canada10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some reviews mention the host can dominate discussions at times and benefits from sharper guest question balance.
Listeners praise the host's thoughtful, curious interviewing style and the high quality of guests.
Audience notes the shows are intellectually rigorous yet accessible, with practical takeaways.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

When painful thoughts feel true but aren't (with Christine Padesky)
Q: When should someone pursue self-help versus seeing a therapist?
Self-help is appropriate for ongoing self-awareness and modest mood issues; if mood declines or daily functioning is impaired, or there are serious conditions, seeking a therapist is advisable, with the best results often coming from a blend of self-help and professional guidance.
When painful thoughts feel true but aren't (with Christine Padesky)
Q: How should we think about the C and B components working together?
Using both cognitive and behavioral elements is more effective than focusing on one; behavioral activation can boost mood and pave the way for testing beliefs, while cognitive work helps interpret and revise thoughts.
When painful thoughts feel true but aren't (with Christine Padesky)
Q: So what is CBT fundamentally?
CBT is a therapy that links thinking (cognition) and behavior to mood, originally focusing on how thoughts and actions influence anxiety and depression, and it has expanded to address many human issues with a practical, skills-based approach.
Are we in an honesty crisis? (with Christian B. Miller)
Q: What does it mean to be honest beyond merely telling the truth?
Honesty is a stable, cross-situational virtue that includes motives, consistency over time, and alignment with intrinsic values rather than mere self-interest or compliance with rules.
What impact will AI have on jobs and the economy? (with Anton Korinek)
Q: What are the main risks or downsides society should prepare for as AI capabilities grow?
Risks include potential aggregate demand shortfalls if unemployment rises and consumption drops, heightened inequality if benefits concentrate among a few, and political/civic challenges around surveillance, manipulation, and governance of intelligent machines; proactive policy can mitigate these but uncertainty remains.

Audience Metrics

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

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Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Clearer Thinking

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

The show centers on big ideas that are both intellectually rigorous and practically applicable, spanning psychology, philosophy, science, economics, and technology. Guests routinely bring structured frameworks and evidence-based insights, from AI governance and trauma research to string theory, honesty ethics, and effective altruism, with discussions often unpacking how to think clearly, make better decisions, and improve real-world outcomes. A recurring strength is the ability to translate complex topics into usable tools for personal growth, policy considerations, and professional strategy, aided by a thoughtful, probing host who guides conversations toward actionable takeaways. A few episodes stand out for tackling highly consequential t... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Clearer Thinking?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Clearer Thinking:

1. Conversations with Tyler
2. EconTalk
3. The Joe Walker Podcast
4. Very Bad Wizards
5. Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST)

How many episodes of Clearer Thinking are there?

Clearer Thinking launched 6 years ago and published 317 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. Nick Allardice
2. Christine Padesky
3. Malo Bourgon
4. Kate Manne
5. George Bonanno
6. Christian Ferko
7. Christian B. Miller
8. Anton Korinek

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