The Case for Not Knowing | with Simone Stolzoff

About this episode

Simone Stolzoff discusses the clash between our need for certainty and the unpredictability of the modern world, advocating for embracing uncertainty as a pathway to progress.

What happens when our biological need for certainty clashes with an increasingly unpredictable world? Simone Stolzoff, author of How to Not Know, joins host Zachary Karabell to discuss why our modern intolerance for uncertainty is fueling a global anxiety crisis. Rather than seeing the unknown as a threat, Stolzoff argues that uncertainty is the fundamental birthplace of scientific breakthroughs, original art, and human progress. Stolzoff and Karabell explore how to navigate everything from the climate crisis and the AI revolution to high-stakes parenting and career choices through the framework that the false certainty we cling to might actually be detrimental to our success. While acknowledging the hard truths of today's world, Stolzoff explains why "action absorbs anxiety" and makes the case for diversifying our identities so we remain adaptable in the face of an unwritten future. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: /…

People in this episode

Host: Zachary Karabell

Guest: Simone Stolzoff

Topics covered

• uncertainty
• anxiety
• scientific breakthroughs
• human progress
• climate crisis
• AI revolution
• adaptability

Keywords

• uncertainty
• anxiety crisis
• scientific breakthroughs
• climate crisis
• AI revolution
• parenting
• career choices

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Progress Network, Kaleidoscope

Books & works: How to Not Know

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