SCIENCE SALON # 111
Michael Shermer with Scott Barry Kaufman — Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization.
When psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman first discovered Maslow’s unfinished theory of transcendence, sprinkled throughout a cache of unpublished journals, lectures, and essays, he felt a deep resonance with his own work and life. In this groundbreaking book, Kaufman picks up where Maslow left off, unraveling the mysteries of his unfinished theory, and integrating these ideas with the latest research on attachment, connection, creativity, love, purpose and other building blocks of a life well lived.
Kaufman’s new hierarchy of needs provides a roadmap for finding purpose and fulfillment—not by striving for money, success, or “happiness,” but by becoming the best version of ourselves, or what Maslow called self-actualization. While self-actualization is often thought of as a purely individual pursuit, Maslow believed that the full realization of potential requires a merging between self and the world. We don’t have to choose either self-development or self-sacrifice, but at the highest level of human potential we show a deep integration of both. Transcend reveals this level of human potential that connects us not only to our highest creative potential, but also to one another. Shermer and Kaufman also discuss:
- human nature
- good and evil
- the good side of psychopathy
- the illusion of self as a useful fiction
- security, attachment, and self-esteem
- ego and narcissism
- how to quantify and measure internal states
- how to practice mindfulness without meditation
- humanistic psychology as a science-based alternative to religious practices
- characteristics of self-actualization
- how to be a self-actualized person.
Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD is a humanistic psychologist who has taught at Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, NYU and elsewhere. He received his Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale University, and an M.Phil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge under a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. He writes the column Beautiful Minds for Scientific American and hosts The Psychology Podcast, which has received more than 10 million downloads. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic and Harvard Business Review, and his books include Ungifted, Wired to Create (with Carolyn Gregoire), and, as editor, Twice Exceptional and, as co-editor, The Cambridge Handbook of Intelligence. In 2015, he was named one of “50 Groundbreaking Scientists who are changing the way we see the world” by Business Insider.
Listen to the podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn.
Check Us Out On YouTube.
Science Salon • Skeptic Presents • All Videos
You play a vital part in our commitment to promote science and reason. If you enjoy the Science Salon Podcast, please show your support by making a donation.
THE GREAT COURSES PLUS
Free trial, then pay only $10/mth. with a quarterly plan
The Great Courses Plus is the premier video-on-demand service, brought to you by The Great Courses – the leading global media brand for lifelong learning and personal enrichment. With thousands of in-depth videos taught by the world’s greatest professors, you’ll always have something fascinating to learn about.
For a limited time only, my listeners will get a free trial, then pay only $10/mth. with a quarterly plan. Sign up now using my special URL: thegreatcoursesplus.com/salon.
Access a world of knowledge:
- unlimited access to engaging and immersive learning experiences
- available on a wide variety of internet-connected devices
- never any commercials
- pause, rewind, fast forward, or re-watch as often as you like
- exclusive benefits for Plus Members.
