As I continue to explore questions of human potential with an eye toward balancing open-minded inquiry and rigorous, evidence-based critical thinking, no one has been more inspiring to me in recent years than Sam Harris. Especially considering his recent focus on well-being in general and the value of transpersonal (i.e. “spiritual”) experience in particular, Harris has much to contribute to any discussion about Integral Health. While many deride Sam and his fellow “New Atheists” (like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens) for being basically arrogant dicks, few haters seem to appreciate the degree to which Harris has engaged both his critics and fans in thoughtful dialogue. I am continually amazed at how articulate and nuanced this guy can be when responding extemporaneously to questions and criticism. Case in point, check out this new video of Harris answering questions submitted by users on Reddit.com:
Reflections on attention, self-knowledge, and the mental health profession.