
Possessed: the historical ideas that haunt us
About
We are possessed by our pasts. Yesterday's ideas haunt us today, exerting a powerful influence on us, shaping how we think about and engage with the world. This podcast critically investigates the histories that possess us—and their afterlives. Our hosts (and occasional exorcists) are a minister, an atheist, and a Jew, who are also researchers in Religious Studies, Philosophy, and History. Between Andrew’s historical expertise, Matt’s philosophical dexterity, and Mary’s training in theology and ethics, we so enjoy chopping it up and sharing what we’ve learned with you.
Creator
USC Faculty: Andrew Berns, Matt Kisner, Mary Nickel
host
Reviews
Episodes(3)
Measuring Happiness
Many psychologists today propose that scientific research can help us learn how to become happy. This proposal rests on the provocative assumption that happiness is the sort of thing that you can measure scientifically, an idea that would have been rejected throughout most of western history. This e