The Overthinkers - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

The Overthinkers — Leisure
The Overthinkers

A place to have fun thinking deeply! Every week, the hosts of The Overthinkers pose a question having to do with art, faith, philosophy, psychology, literature, pop culture, creativity, and more—then attempt to answer it with the help of New York Times bestselling authors, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, Oscar-winning Hollywood directors/actors, Grammy-winning musicians, esteemed academics, prolific professors, and many more influential and intriguing guests. This is a place where you can both think well and laugh loudly. All are welcome, so put your thinking caps and your laughing socks on and come on in!

Copyright: © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.

Latest Episodes:

Are Science and Faith Compatible? (With Dr. Spencer Klavan) Sep 29, 2024

Show notes

Many people feel like they have to choose between science and faith. But do they really? What is the history of science and faith, and when did this supposed conflict start? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson welcome author and scholar Dr. Spencer Klavan to discuss this topic and Klavan's new book on the subject "Light of the Mind, Light of the World.
Further Resources:

https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2015/10/22/science-and-religion-2/#:~:text=Some%2073%25%20of%20adults%20who,religion%20are%20often%20in%20conflict.

https://www.samharris.org/blog/science-must-destroy-religion
https://scienceforthechurch.org/2020/11/10/a-conversation-with-john-lennox/
Blesses
Summa Theologica
God's Undertaker
Netflix's The Three-Body Problem
Curses
The Theory of Everything
Freud's Last Session
MIxed Bless/Curse
Dark Matter

Is Therapy Only for Mentally Ill People? (With Alyssa Plock) Sep 23, 2024

Show notes

Who is therapy for? Is it only people with diagnosed mental illness? Or can anyone benefit? We discuss with mental health advocate Alyssa Plock.
Data and references:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2021/02/04/47-of-americans-believe-seeking-therapy-is-a-sign-of-weakness/

https://www.scrippsnews.com/health/75-of-americans-feel-health-care-system-handles-mental-health-worse-than-physical-poll-finds

https://kindbridge.com/mental-health/why-do-people-avoid-therapy/

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/08/psychotherapy-effective

Blesses:
Allender Center Podcast

The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast

The Sixth Sense
Ordinary People

Curses:
Shrinking
Split
Moon Knight
Extremes

Is the 9-5 Bad for Us? Sep 16, 2024

Show notes

Why do most people work a 9-5? And should we get rid of it? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss in the latest episode of The Overthinkers.

Further reading:

History and the origin of the 9-5. https://hbr.org/2021/07/breaking-free-from-a-9-to-5-culture

Arguments against 9-5: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/07/25/working-9-to-5-is-an-antiquated-relic-from-the-past-and-should-be-stopped-right-now/

Remote workers aren’t as productive: https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-01-04/2024-year-employers-clamp-down-on-remote-work-not-so-fast#:~:text=It's%20true%20that%20widespread%20studies,be%20factors%20in%20the%20decline

Benefits of a 9-5: https://medium.com/@lester03g/5-reasons-why-its-good-to-work-9-5-d4c41df9a3ee#:~:text=Working%209%E2%80%935%20builds%20are,between%20work%20and%20personal%20life.

Is the World Overpopulated or Underpopulated? (With Dr. Jared Pincin) Sep 09, 2024

Show notes

Some think the world is getting too many people to sustain the planet. Others warn that we don't have enough kids to care for the old people. Who's right? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson invite Economist Dr. Jared Pincin to discuss.
Info highlighted in episode:

World hits 8 billion people: https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/11/world-population-estimated-eight-billion.html#:~:text=Population%20Division%20estimates%20the%20world,billion%20on%20November%2015%2C%202022.

The overpopulation/underpopulation debate:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220905-is-the-world-overpopulated

https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/23436211/overpopulation-population-8-billion-people

Should Christians Get Offended? Sep 02, 2024

Show notes

Getting offended is very common today--particularly online. But is being offended off-limits for Christians? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss.

Definition of “Offended”: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/offended

Why Christians Shouldn’t Be Offended:

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/blessed-are-the-unoffendable

https://www.christianitytoday.com/karl-vaters/2016/december/im-offended-by-easily-offended-christians.html

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scotty-smith/easily-offended-isnt-a-fruit-of-the-holy-spirit/

Is Evolution Biblical? (With Dr. Dru Johnson) Aug 25, 2024

Show notes

Christians and Charles Darwin's theory of evolution have often been at odds. But is that conflict justified? Dr. Dru Johnson, Biblical scholar and author of the book "What Hath Darwin to Do with Scripture?", walks Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson through the places where Darwin's work matches with the Biblical narrative--and where it diverges. And it's not always where you might think!

Bio of Charles Darwin: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Darwin/Evolution-by-natural-selection-the-London-years-1836-42

Is Community Possible Today? (With Houston Coley) Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

We all want community today. But is community possible in a modern society that puts up so many barriers to it? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson are joined by thinker and filmmaker Houston Coley to discuss.

Lack of friends today:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/07/well/live/adult-friendships-number.html
https://nypost.com/2021/07/27/americans-have-fewer-friends-than-ever-before-study/

Health risks of loneliness:
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/16/who-declares-loneliness-a-global-public-health-concern#:~:text=The%20World%20Health%20Organization%20(WHO,smoking%2015%20cigarettes%20a%20day.

Rising rates of depression correlating to loss of community:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/our-changing-culture/201510/are-mental-health-issues-the-rise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpP7ESJ3hEQ

Joseph Holmes' review of "The Anxious Generation": https://lawliberty.org/book-review/what-the-smartphone-hath-wrought/

Is AI Dangerous? Aug 11, 2024

Show notes

Is AI Dangerous? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes look at the evidence and discuss.

AI Definition: https://www.britannica.com/technology/artificial-intelligence

Why AI is Dangerous: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-why-ai-may-be-extremely-dangerous-whether-its-conscious-or-not/

Why Experts Disagree: https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/3/13/24093357/ai-risk-extinction-forecasters-tetlock

Should We Watch the News? Aug 05, 2024

Show notes

Is watching the news necessary to stay informed, or bad for your mental health? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss.

Growing number of people avoiding the news: https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/08/01/news-avoid-depressing/

Media confidence reaches new low: https://news.gallup.com/poll/512861/media-confidence-matches-2016-record-low.aspx

News mental health harms: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/11/strain-media-overload

Where and how often people get their news: https://www.statista.com/statistics/717651/most-popular-news-platforms/#:~:text=A%20survey%20on%20news%20consumption,content%20in%20the%20last%20year.

Frequency of news consuption: https://www.statista.com/statistics/946580/network-news-usage-frequency/#:~:text=The%20findings%20of%20a%20study,news%20on%20a%20daily%20basis.

Why You Should Quit the News: https://markmanson.net/why-you-should-quit-the-news

Benefits and harms of watching news: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-global-lens/202302/is-the-news-harming-or-helping-your-psychological-health

Is Tolerance a Virtue? Jul 28, 2024

Show notes

For an idea so often discussed and debated, tolerance is a relatively recent virtue. Why did it become so popular? And is it overrated? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss.

Merriam Webster definition of Tolerance: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tolerance

History of the virtue of tolerance: https://iep.utm.edu/tolerati/#H2

Popper’s Paradox of Tolerance: https://www.freiheit.org/mexico/limits-tolerance-poppers-paradox#:~:text=In%20practical%20terms%2C%20Popper%20tells,should%20be%20admitted%20without%20limits.

Criticism of Popper’s Paradox: https://markmanson.net/the-paradox-of-tolerance

Tolerance is Not a Virtue: https://www.equip.org/articles/is-tolerance-a-virtue/

Related Podcasts