Season 3 finale

Season 3 finale

Author: Prof Paul Dolan July 18, 2025 Duration: 3:31
Looking back on season 3, where I spoke to scientists, academics, journalists, and a comedian. We discussed themes such as the shifting political landscape among young people, the decline of democracy, the significance of narratives, and why we hate the narrative of randomness so much.

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In Breaking beliefism, behavioural scientist Prof Paul Dolan picks up the thread from his previous explorations of divisive issues. This new podcast is a deliberate and personal expedition into the trenches of our most entrenched opinions. Dolan frames these conflicts through the lens of ‘beliefism’-a form of discrimination based not on who you are, but on what you hold to be true. Each conversation is an active attempt to dismantle this bias, moving beyond debate into genuine, often challenging, dialogue. You’ll hear from guests across the spectrum of science, business, culture, and society, not to score points but to understand the human experiences and reasoning behind opposing stances. The core of this podcast is the practice of listening as a radical, constructive act. Dolan doesn’t promise easy answers or reconciliation, but instead offers a model for engagement that questions our own certainties. It’s about finding the mechanisms and the patience to hear what lies beneath a contrary view, arguing that this skill is fundamental for any meaningful progress in how we live and work together. By stepping into these conversations, the series builds a case for curiosity over conviction, making the act of listening itself the central subject and tool for change.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 46

Breaking beliefism
Podcast Episodes
Season 4 finale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:29
Here’s a quick look back on season 4 of Breaking Beliefism: we covered the power of the medical profession, the nature of consciousness, outrage and silence in organisations, and some very personal stories about pain and…
Joanna Moncrieff [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:23
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan talks to Joanna Moncrieff, Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London. They question the long-held belief that depression is caused by a serotonin defic…
Laura Kudrna [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:26
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan chats to his long-time collaborator, Dr Laura Kudrna. They reflect on their collaboration on his happiness books, the importance of social connection, and how making mistakes is an i…
Lee Willows [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:09
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan talks to Lee Willows, the founder of Community Care Gaming. Lee shares his personal journey from never gambling to a gambling addiction to becoming an advocate for safer gambling. Th…
Anil Seth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:51
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan discusses the nature of consciousness with Professor Anil Seth. They discuss free will and the case of the multi-coloured dress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor…
Elaine Lin Hering [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:41
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan chats to Elaine Lin Hering, a specialist in negotiation and dispute resolution and author of Unlearning Silence. They discuss how staying silent can get in the way of effecitve decis…
Karthik Ramanna [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:42
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan talks to Professor Karthik Ramanna from the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. They discuss the increasing sense of outrage in today’s society, and the chall…
Leor Zmigrod [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:57
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan talks to political psychologist and neuroscientist Dr Leor Zmigrod about how neuroscience can shed light on our beliefs and the extremes we sometimes cling to. Leor believes that ide…
Sami Timimi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:25
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan talks to Sami Tamimi, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. They discuss Sami’s childhood in Iraq, explore the complexities of mental health diagnoses, and whether mental health has b…
Dan Ariely [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:14
In this episode, Professor Paul Dolan talks to Professor Dan Ariely from Duke University. Dan explains how his recovery from serious burns informed his research into pain management. They discuss what it means to live fu…