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Mind Field Season 3 Episodes
Season 3 Episode Guide
8 Episodes 2018 - 2019
Episode 1
The Cognitive Tradeoff Hypothesis
Wed, Dec 5, 201824 mins
Chimps and Humans can be traced biologically back to a common ancestor. The Cognitive Tradeoff Hypothesis theorizes about the two different paths of development - particularly cognitive development - that occurred in these two species after the split. Chimps stayed in the trees and developed some extraordinary cognitive capabilities which are shown by the research work of Japanese scientists at the Primate Research Center connected with Kyoto University - capabilities far surpassing that of normal humans - while humans, who came down into the savanna, developed social and language capabilities. The theory is that humans "traded" some aspects of cognitive development by re-purposing areas of the brain that had evolved in the context of other uses. A fascinating research project.
Episode 2
Moral Licensing
Wed, Dec 5, 201828 mins
How are our moral decisions influenced by factors we're not aware of? A phenomenon known as Moral Licensing claims that when we do something good, we often subconsciously allow ourselves to then do something bad. In this episode, I take a look at whether those who donate money to charity become more likely to let a kid take the blame for a crime they know they committed.
Episode 3
The Stilwell Brain
Wed, Dec 12, 201827 mins
There are 100 billion individual neurons in the human brain. Working together, they allow us to make sense of, and move through, the world around us. Scientists have built replicas of the human brain with computers, but no one has ever successfully made a brain out of humans. On this episode, I'll travel back to my hometown of Stilwell, Kansas, and turn it into a working brain.
Episode 4
The Stanford Prison Experiment
Wed, Dec 19, 201834 mins
Normal people can become monsters, given the right situation. That's the standard narrative of the Stanford Prison Experiment, one of the most famous psychological experiments of all time. But what if the cause of its participants' cruel behavior wasn't what we've always been told?
Episode 5
Should I Die?
Wed, Dec 26, 201831 mins
Michael speaks with mortician and death positivist activist Caitlin Doughty and visit a cryonics facility trying to extend human life indefinitely. Will he take them up on their offer, or will he choose to die?
Episode 6
How to Talk to Aliens
Wed, Jan 2, 201926 mins
Are we alone in the universe? Even if we could contact aliens, what would we say? How would we say it? And, most importantly, should we even be trying to make contact at all? This episode takes me on a journey to compose and send my own personal message into outer space.
Episode 7
Behaviour and Belief
Wed, Jan 9, 201928 mins
How can a lie become true? Dr. Aaron Blaisdell and I create a game show that is actually a giant human Skinner Box to observe the formation of superstitious beliefs. And Dr. Samuel Veissiere helps me design and perform a placebo reverse exorcism, harnessing the power of belief in both science and religion to convince normal people that a spirit has possessed their bodies.
Episode 8
Mind Reading
Wed, Jan 16, 201922 mins
In this episode I visit a researcher who is studying memory by using machine learning and neuroimaging to detect and predict people's brain states. I also travel to Japan to meet with a team working on ways to record the content of peoples' dreams.
