Why We Need Religion: A Conversation with Stephen T. Asma

Our guest on this episode is Stephen T. Asma, author of The Evolution of Imagination and Why We Need Religion.

In this episode:

As a musician, how do you understand what happens in the brain during jazz improvisation? (1:30) — How does the pressure of a ‘live’ musical performance stimulate creativity? (4:45) — From Aristotle and Kant to behaviorism: have philosophers and psychologists fully appreciated the value of the imagination? (7:00) — Why scientists should use films and novels, not just experiments, to understand human beings (10:00) — Jaak Panksepp, Antonio Damasio and affective neuroscience: the importance of emotions for decision-making (12:00)