Episode #965
Robert Sapolsky
Books mentioned
Free Will
Mentioned by Joe Rogan (host) · at 00:48:51 · ▶︎ Watch this moment on YouTube (approximate)
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
Behave
Mentioned by Official episode description
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Official episode description (podcast RSS)
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.
Neuroendocrinologist Robert Sapolsky discusses the toxoplasma parasite's effect on host behavior, his study of baboon social dynamics and culture change after a TB outbreak, and how biological factors like glucose and stress influence decision-making. He also critiques the concept of free will and its implications for the justice system.
What they talked about
- Toxoplasma gondii and behavioral manipulation
- Toxo effects on humans: schizophrenia and risk-taking
- Oxytocin and human-dog bonding
- Frontal cortex development and delayed gratification
- Baboon troop culture shift after TB outbreak
- Determinism and free will in behavior
- Stress, hunger, and judicial decision-making
- Legal implications of neuroscience and the warrior gene
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.