Episode #1663
Edward Slingerland
Books mentioned
Drunk
Mentioned by Joe Rogan (host) · at 00:00:00
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Official episode description (podcast RSS) · Transcript (podscripts.co)
Trying Not to Try
Mentioned by Edward Slingerland · at 00:01:28 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate)
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
The Immortality Key
Mentioned by Joe Rogan (host) · at 00:16:58 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate)
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
Tell Your Children
Mentioned by Edward Slingerland · at 00:46:20 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate)
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
Ready Player Two
Mentioned by Joe Rogan (host) · at 01:20:43 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate)
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
The Catcher in the Rye
Mentioned by Edward Slingerland · at 02:32:18 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate)
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
Timestamps are segment start times from the podscripts.co transcript of the audio release (includes ad reads), so they may differ from the video by a few minutes.
Edward Slingerland, a philosopher at the University of British Columbia, discusses alcohol’s evolutionary and cultural history, including its possible role in spontaneity, cooperation, creativity, and ritual. The conversation also examines altered states through psychedelics, cannabis, exercise, meditation, and sleep deprivation, before considering alcohol’s benefits and risks, social impacts, regulation, and the relationship between happiness, privilege, and goal pursuit.
What they talked about
- The paradox of wu-wei (effortless action)
- Alcohol as a tool for primate cooperation
- Gobekli Tepe and the role of intoxication in civilization
- The Balmer Peak and alcohol's effect on creativity
- Asian flushing gene as an evolutionary adaptation
- Risks of alcohol in modern isolated drinking
- Simulation theory and virtual reality
- The importance of genuine connection and charisma
Data last updated · Report a mistake · How it works: mentions are pulled from public transcripts and episode descriptions, partly with AI-assisted extraction, so details and timestamps can be off.