Published Mar 15, 2021

The Story of Stories

Shankar Vedantam and psychologist Tania Lombrozo delve into the human quest for understanding, exploring how stories and explanations shape our beliefs and actions. They discuss the dual nature of this drive to explain, highlighting its potential to both inspire delight and cause misconceptions.

Episode Highlights

Topics covered

Episode Highlights

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Dexa/Shankar Vedantam

The Story of Stories

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Understanding Beliefs

The Cost of Understanding

Understanding Our Ignorance

The Power of Explanation

The Drive for Explanations

Storytelling and Justice

Learning Through Stories

Stories and Explanations

Polarization and Belief

Patterns in Chaos

The Pleasure of Mystery

The Power of Explanation

Understanding Through Explanation

Conspiracy Theories Explored

Episode Highlights

Explanatory Challenges

Role of Stories

Drive for Explanations

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The Story of Stories

Topics covered

Popular Clips

Episode Highlights

Explanatory ChallengesThe mixed emotions tied to understanding phenomena reveal how explanations can both delight and disappoint. Tania Lombrozo explores how our cognitive gaps and the quest for explanations shape our beliefs and actions.

Explanatory Challenges

Role of StoriesTania Lombrozo examines the interplay between storytelling and explanations, revealing how both help us navigate and understand the complexities of the world. She highlights the role of narratives in shaping perceptions, from personal interactions to broader societal structures.

Role of Stories

Drive for ExplanationsShankar Vedantam and psychologist Tania Lombrozo explore the fundamental human drive to explain the world. They discuss how this impulse can lead to discovery and delight, but also to misconceptions and errors.

Drive for Explanations

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