The Armen Show

How does uncertainty apply in our emotional and political lives? On episode 334, Professor Sheila Jasanoff of Harvard opens a forum on uncertainty and democracy in her volume titled Uncertainty. The debate that follows explores the ideas about uncertainty and experts in a democracy, as well its scientific, philosophic, and emotional aspects. Sheila Jasanoff is […]

Here on 2/22/2022, episode 333 of the show makes its way with Professor Todd Kashdan of George Mason University, author of The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively. If one wants to make a case for themselves that counters a view of superiors or others they are involved with, they have to […]

We want to up the electricity, and keep the voltage of our activity on a high note. What does it mean to have momentum in scaling, and then losing it after a period of time? What does it take to get to that high level of voltage in the first place? On episode 332, I […]

Welcome to episode 331 of the show, where we have journalist Florence Williams taking us through the personal and scientific story of a heartbreak in her book Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey. She showcases not only the personal element of the happening, but some of the scientific effects that come with the process. Florence […]

How far can influence take you? How can you be influential, while being ethical in the process? Yale Professor of Marketing Zoe Chance shares information on this topic, and is author of the book Influence Is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen. Professor Chance studies and teaches […]

As we make our way to episode 329 of the show, we switch things up with the creators of California Surf Fishing, a duo who fishes on the coast of California. Both Gary and Kaspar Kazazian have joined on previous episodes, but never both together and on video, and they join on this one to […]

How can the law make us better, and how does it connect with human behavior? In exploring the topic, authors Benjamin van Rooij and Adam Fine present many examples of how the law has been intended and applied. Professor van Rooij joins us on episode 328 to discuss this and more from his co-authored book […]

“Entities should not be multiplied without necessity” is the message behind Occam’s Razor, and seeking the simplest explanation for a conundrum is a strong force in science. On episode 327, Professor Johnjoe McFadden of the University of Surrey takes us through history, science, and philosophy, as connected with Occam’s Razor, in his latest book Life […]

The case Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., 569 U.S. 576, was a case challenging the validity of gene patents in the United States, and few have explored the details of this case more thoroughly than attorney, professor, and author Jorge L. Contreras. His latest book The Genome Defense: Inside the Epic Legal […]

Hello and welcome to episode 325 of the show, with guest Dr. Uma Naidoo, author of This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More. This book covers the relation between food and response in many categories of mental difficulty. Michelin-starred chef […]

Welcome to episode 324 of the show, with my guest Professor Stefanie K. Johnson of the University of Colorado-Boulder. Leadership and bringing uniqueness to teams are two topics of importance. On this episode, we discuss topics from her latest book Inclusify: The Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams, a Wall Street Journal […]

Hello and welcome to episode 321 of the show, and we are glad to bring one full of messages about joy, being, and philosophy. Understanding the life we live is key. This one is an episode in person, and brings together discussion about creation in music, comedy, and social interaction. There is something good about […]

Does our influence go further than we think of? Are people taking cues and guidance from us, when we are not even aware of it? Professor Vanessa Bohns of Cornell University is a social psychologist who has explored this topic in her latest book You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate Our […]

Actress and filmmaker Kat Fairaway returns on episode 318 of The Armen Show, and we discuss havaya, mindfulness, updates, and 9 quotes from the stoic philosophers Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. Kat is an actress living in Los Angeles, who recently starred in three feature films released on Amazon and Lifetime, including: Kidnapped by a […]