Kate Bowler on Stage IV Cancer and the Fallacy of Control
Duke historian Kate Bowler on how a sudden stage IV cancer diagnosis exposed the cultural myth of total control and forced planning.
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Historian Kate Bowler reflects on her stage IV cancer diagnosis, exploring the psychological discomfort society experiences when faced with unexplainable suffering and the pervasive cultural myth of control. In the second half, psychologist Lisa Miller answers listener questions about the neuroscience of spiritual experiences, discussing how the brain is biologically wired for transcendence and how suffering often acts as a catalyst for spiritual deepening.
Key takeaways
- At age 35, Duke University historian Kate Bowler received a sudden diagnosis of stage IV colon cancer, despite having zero family history and an active academic career. Read more →
- Historian Kate Bowler traces modern toxic positivity to late 19th-century New Thought and the American prosperity gospel, which taught that positive speech directly dictates physical reality. Read more →
- MRI brain scans show three specific neural circuits activate during spiritual experiences across different belief systems. Read more →
- Psychologist Lisa Miller argues that analytical training often turns skepticism into a bouncer at the door, blocking direct perception and intuition instead of acting as an investigative tool. Read more →
- Lisa Miller reframes intuition as direct knowing, arguing that two decades of neuroscience point to the brain functioning as an antenna for consciousness rather than an isolated generator of thoughts. Read more →
5 articles from this episode
Kate Bowler on Why Toxic Positivity Destroys Resilience
Historian Kate Bowler explains how the prosperity gospel and forced optimism turn setbacks into personal failure and wreck emotional flexibility.
Lisa Miller on the Brain Circuits Behind Spiritual Experiences
Lisa Miller's neuroimaging research shows the brain has built-in circuits for transcendence, strengthened by service and unlocked by suffering.
Why Pure Logic Limits Your Decision Making
Psychologist Lisa Miller explains why analytical thinkers must balance skepticism with intuitive perception to make better decisions.
Why Lisa Miller Treats the Brain as an Antenna for Direct Knowing
Psychologist Lisa Miller explains the science of synchronicities, direct knowing, and why the brain acts as an antenna for decision-making.
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