Rephonic
Artwork for Making Sense

Making Sense with Sam Harris

Sam Harris
Donald Trump
Artificial Intelligence
Social Media
Israel
Trump Administration
Misinformation
Consciousness
Ukraine
Democracy
Covid-19
Hamas
Iran
Anti-Semitism
Trump
Republican Party
Trumpism
Mindfulness
Political Violence
Neuroscience
Elon Musk

Join neuroscientist, philosopher, and five-time New York Times best-selling author Sam Harris as he explores important and controversial questions about the mind, society, current events, moral philosophy, religion, and rationality—with an overarching focus on how a growing understanding of ourselves and the world is changing our sense of how we should live. Sam is also the creator of the Waking U... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes489Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureScience

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Making Sense

Latest Episodes

Sam Harris speaks with Lloyd Blankfein about finance, politics, and the state of American society. They discuss Blankfein's memoir, Goldman Sachs and its role as a market maker, the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the AI investment bubble, wealth inequal... more

Sam Harris speaks with Ben Shapiro about their pre-election debate and the fractures on the right. They discuss Trump's second term surprises, familial corruption, tariff policy, the ideological world of Tucker Carlson, the spread of conspiracism on ... more

Sam Harris speaks with Francis Fukuyama about liberal democracy, American politics, and global order. They discuss the misunderstood thesis of "The End of History," how conservatism has mutated into ethno-nationalism, the self-defeating extremes of b... more

Sam Harris speaks with Rahm Emanuel about American politics, the state of the Democratic Party, and the 2028 presidential race. They discuss Emanuel's possible presidential run, identity politics and the left's cultural cul-de-sac, the Mississippi re... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
The Prof G Pod with Scott GallowayVox Media Podcast Network

Recent Guests

Ben Shapiro
Conservative commentator
The Daily Wire (not explicitly stated)
Episode: #472 — Strange Days on the Right
Francis Fukuyama
Political scientist and author known for liberalism and End of History discourse
Stanford/ Johns Hopkins? (context suggests academic position)
Episode: #471 — The End of History, Revisited
Tristan Harris
Co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology
Center for Humane Technology
Episode: #469 — Escaping an Anti-Human Future
Nicholas Christakis
Director of the Human Nature Lab at Yale; MD and sociologist
Yale University
Episode: #466 — What Is Technology Doing to Us?
Matt Mahan
Mayor of San Jose, California; gubernatorial candidate
Mayor of San Jose; Democratic candidate for Governor of California
Episode: #464 — The Politics of Pragmatism and the Future of California
Rob Reid
Guest discussing Deep Vision and biosecurity issues
venture capitalist focused on biosecurity and resilience
Episode: #463 — Privatizing the Apocalypse
Garry Kasparov
One of the greatest chess masters and world champion, currently chairman of the Renew Democracy Initiative.
Renew Democracy Initiative
Episode: #461 — Dictators Always Tell You What They'll Do
Jonathan Rauch
Journalist and author, contributing writer for The Atlantic
The Atlantic
Episode: #456 — American Fascism
Judea Pearl
Renowned computer scientist and author known for his work on causality and machine learning.
UCLA
Episode: #453 — AI and the New Face of Antisemitism

Hosts

Sam Harris
Host of the podcast, neuroscientist and philosopher with a secular, scientific worldview; creator of the Waking Up app.
Sarah Longwell
Political commentator known for insights into conservative politics and Trumpism, frequently appearing to discuss party dynamics and civil discourse.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 51.4k ratings
  • Sam has jumped the shark

    The atheists rational debate society / dark web dweebs era is long gone. Sam is in decline and it shows. Oh to discuss onstage with “Hitch” again. This man will have every right winger on earth on his show before talking to one leftist economist or thinker or gasp a gay or trans person. Have Zohran on you coward.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Bunny Cub
    United States8 days ago
  • Hysterical

    Self entitled brat who’s been wrong about almost Every major topic he’s talked about in the last 10 years, calls

    Out people Who have been continuously

    Proven correct, while also being too afraid to debate them, and while having an audience about 1/10th the size of them (if even). Me thinks he’s got a little one, and he’s overcompensating a bit 🤣

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    bgq69
    United States10 days ago
  • Used to be a source of new and insightful ideas

    Podcast Addict
    1
    pienko
    11 days ago
  • Sam Harris is a bigot

    As a very longtime subscriber and listener, I have grown disgusted seeing Sam’s racism and bigotry surface the last few years. His recent despicable comments about Zohran Mamdani were the last straw and I am unsubscribing now. I feel sickened that I was unknowingly supporting the work of a vile bigot like Sam.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Xoxo79
    United States12 days ago
  • Rahm Emmanuel- Bravo Sam Harris!

    As always, a great show! Sam is a wonderful interviewer and this was a great one! **Rahm Emanuel you have my vote if you decide to run for president. Enough people are disillusioned with their party that a person running on a third party ticket might have a chance. We need someone to pick up the pieces!🙏🏻

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    H20011
    United States19 days ago

Listeners Say

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

Episodes are valued for deep dives into democracy, AI, and ethics, though some reviews note sensational or polarizing takes.
Positive feedback often highlights thoughtful, well-reasoned discussions and guests who challenge conventional views.
Critiques frequently focus on perceived arrogance or bias, with some listeners requesting more opposing viewpoints.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#11
United States/Science
Apple Podcasts
#11
United States/Science
Spotify
#11
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#217
Canada/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#7
Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts
#17
United Kingdom/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#462 — More From Sam: The Iran War, American Amorality, Addressing Hopelessness, Tucker, and More
Q: What is the point of the norms and international laws if presidents ignore them for pragmatic reasons?
He argues that liberal international order existed for a reason—to coordinate problem solving and uphold multilateralism—but acknowledges the norms have been eroded and the situation calls for reassessing how to restore trust and institutions without romanticizing the past.
#462 — More From Sam: The Iran War, American Amorality, Addressing Hopelessness, Tucker, and More
Q: Are you worried about your hawkish stance giving cover to naked aggression without a plan, and do you have regrets about that stance?
He responds that the underlying facts about Iran and human rights remain true to him, and that his core view won't change despite the war's conduct; he believes in supporting Iranian civil rights while criticizing the execution and planning of the war by the current administration.
#462 — More From Sam: The Iran War, American Amorality, Addressing Hopelessness, Tucker, and More
Q: Okay, on to our first topic. Sam, should the US have taken military action against Iran?
Sam lays out two simultaneous lines of reasoning: historically, unseating the Iranian regime would have been beneficial given past provocations and human rights concerns, but there is also a critical critique of the current administration and the way a potential action is handled, emphasizing concerns about planning, legitimacy, and consequences for ordinary Iranians.
#461 — Dictators Always Tell You What They'll Do
Q: What do you think new members of Congress should do if Democrats win both houses?
They should use their power wisely, emphasize impeachment for those who abused power, but focus on limiting Trumpism as an overarching threat.
#461 — Dictators Always Tell You What They'll Do
Q: Is there anything that has surprised you about Trump's second term?
The greatest surprise was the total capitalization and moral collapse of the GOP, with no substantial resistance to Trump's most aggressive steps.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Sense

What is Making Sense about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show consistently probes big questions at the intersection of mind, society, and morality, often weaving philosophy with current events and public policy. Episodes frequently feature high-profile guests—from political commentators and historians to AI researchers and democracy advocates—discussing democracy, liberal norms, technology's impact on society, and ethical questions in today's geopolitical climate. The host's approach tends toward rational scrutiny and a secular, scientific worldview, with a penchant for challenging assumptions while exploring decency, epistemic humility, and the costs of political polarization. A standout trait is the willingness to tackle controversial topics head-on, including foreign policy, AI ethics, and... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Making Sense?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Making Sense. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Making Sense and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Making Sense get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Making Sense, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Making Sense?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Making Sense, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Making Sense have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Making Sense has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Making Sense?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Making Sense:

1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. Conversations with Coleman
3. The Last Invention
4. The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
5. The Michael Shermer Show

How many episodes of Making Sense are there?

Making Sense launched 13 years ago and published 489 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Making Sense?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Making Sense?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Making Sense from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Making Sense?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Making Sense. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Making Sense?

Recent guests on Making Sense include:

1. Ben Shapiro
2. Francis Fukuyama
3. Tristan Harris
4. Nicholas Christakis
5. Matt Mahan
6. Rob Reid
7. Garry Kasparov
8. Jonathan Rauch

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days