Latest Assumption Podcast Episodes
199. The Art of Conversation
Preconceived - May 30, 2023 09:00 - 42 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWe’ve all been to a party and felt a bit awkward walking around, immersing ourselves in some conversations that go nowhere, approaching someone we've kind of met before but don’t really know, and gauging when a conversation has come to an end. Most of us have also been in situations where we want...
198. Male Birth Control
Preconceived - May 23, 2023 09:00 - 43 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWhen one thinks of birth control, it might be natural one might think of women before thinking of men. Aside from condoms and vasectomies, medical forms of birth control have really been directed towards women, with 'the pill' and intrauterine devices. But perhaps things are changing. Research ...
197. Attention Span
Preconceived - May 16, 2023 09:00 - 42 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsDo you ever feel like you can’t simply sit down and do one task uninterrupted? When you sit down to do some work on your laptop, how soon before you check your email unnecessarily, or grab your phone and scroll down Instagram? Or even more basic – when you are doing something for pure pleasure...
Regretting Motherhood
Preconceived - May 09, 2023 12:27 - 55 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsFew would admit to regretting their decision to become parents. But that doesn't mean there are not people who do indeed regret the choice to have kids. Is it possible to still love your children while regretting the choice to have had them? Is the admission of regret necessarily a bad thing? Orn...
196. Myths of Human Evolution and the Ancient Past
Preconceived - May 02, 2023 09:00 - 31 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThe history of humankind has been contemplated for millennia. How did we come to be the dominant life form on the planet? Many stories have been told over the course of civilization to try and explain our presence on Earth, and in the process, many myths of our ancient past have come to dominat...
195. The Beatles
Preconceived - April 25, 2023 09:00 - 44 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThere are certain things that are just ‘knowns’ in the world, preconceptions in the sense that we take particular facts for granted. One such ‘knowns’ in the world is that The Beatles is perhaps the greatest band of all time. But as great as The Beatles were, there have been tons of incredible ba...
194. Before Evil - The 'Humanization' of Dictators
Preconceived - April 18, 2023 09:00 - 48 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWhen you think of some of the most brutal 20th century dictators, your mind likely conjures up images of ruthlessness, mass death, and anything associated with evil. And while there is no doubt that these dictators committed evil atrocities that are tough to comprehend, it’s reasonable to wonder,...
193. The Sex Club
Preconceived - April 11, 2023 09:00 - 31 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsOne of the paradoxes of sex is that while it is so common, it’s something we often feel uncomfortable talking about. Especially when it comes to sexual experimentation, there is a certain stigma that exists. But to an extent, that is changing, as new initiatives are being undertaken to reimagine ...
192. Mushrooms and Other Psychedelics
Preconceived - April 04, 2023 09:00 - 42 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsFor decades, there has been substantial stigma associated with psychedelic drugs. After psychedelics’ association with counterculture in the 1960s, much of the medical research into the therapeutic effects of psychedelics was terminated. But over the last 10-20 years, much of the research into ...
191. Self-Harm and Cutting
Preconceived - March 28, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWe learn from an early age that it’s not acceptable to harm others. Many would say it’s something we don’t even need to really learn – that it’s a natural human instinct to not want to cause harm. With that perspective, it’s natural that it would be extremely challenging for people to understan...
190. The Aztecs - The Story from Their Perspective
Preconceived - March 21, 2023 09:00 - 45 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThe Aztec Empire famously fell following the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century. Much of what we know about the Aztecs – including their rise, the nature of the empire, and its eventual fall, comes strictly from European accounts. But what did the Aztecs themselves think? The narrati...
189. Serotonin Theory - Do We Actually Understand Depression?
Preconceived - March 14, 2023 09:00 - 41 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsFor many years, depression has been treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, better known by its short form, SSRIs. Serotonin, of course, lies at the core of these medications, with the long-held belief that serotonin levels are lower in patients who suffer from depression. But how s...
Too Honest?
Preconceived - March 07, 2023 10:00 - 55 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWe are told from a very young age that being honest is a good thing. But most of us don’t really believe that honesty is always the best policy. Most of us allow for exceptions, omissions, and the occasional white lie, if it means sparing someone hurt feelings or avoiding an awkward conversation....
188. Antarctica
Preconceived - February 28, 2023 10:00 - 55 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsAntarctica is one of the most fascinating and mysterious places on Earth. One of Earth’s seven continents, it is easily the least inhabited, and in many ways, the least known about. To many, the preconception is that Antarctica is this cold, frozen, and desolate places, not fit for human living. ...
187. 'Drunk' - An Argument for Intoxication
Preconceived - February 21, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWe all know about the potential abuse and addiction associated with alcohol and other drugs. Yet despite this, alcohol has persisted since the dawn of human societies. Does its persistence suggest that alcohol may actually be an important factor in the history of our civilization? In Edward Sling...
186. Staying Friends with Exes, and 'The Apps'
Preconceived - February 14, 2023 10:05 - 36 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThere is a preconception that once a romantic relationship ends, the whole relationship ends. Is that always a good thing? And should it be considered the norm, or is the status of the post-breakup relationship something that people should give more conscious thought to? A Little Nudge founder, E...
185. 'Making It' in Hollywood
Preconceived - February 07, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThere are few dreams as glorified and romanticized as that of becoming an actor in Hollywood. And part of what makes the dream so glorified is that thousands of actors are pursuing the same goal, with so many people setting off for Los Angeles in hopes of the same type of success. But what is it ...
184. Troy - The Motives of War
Preconceived - February 01, 2023 10:00 - 39 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThe Trojan War is one of the most famously described and mythologized accounts from Ancient Greek civilization. It was the passion-fuelled war waged by the Greek States against Troy, which has captivated our imagination for millennia and inspired multiple Hollywood portrayals. But what exactly do...
183. Originalism, The Supreme Court, and America's Future
Preconceived - January 24, 2023 10:00 - 49 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsIn the United States, the term 'originalists' refers to those who believe that the US constitution should be interpreted today with the same conviction as it was followed when written hundreds of years ago. But how can the ideas and laws from over 200 years ago possibly just simply be accepted to...
182. Puberty Blockers
Preconceived - January 17, 2023 10:00 - 46 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsFor centuries, the terms male and female have essentially been synonymous with man and woman. But for many, this is perhaps a misconception - the idea that one's biological sex they are born with portends a certain gender. In this episode, we explore the role of puberty blockers in children and a...
181. Way of the Peaceful Warrior
Preconceived - January 10, 2023 10:00 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWe all search for meaning in this world. But as we each embark on our own journey, there are many preconceptions that exist about what that quest 'should' entail. Has the self-help movement veered from its initial goals? Do we tend to put too much faith into supposed 'enlightened' gurus? Lifelong...
180. A Career Change
Preconceived - December 20, 2022 10:00 - 47 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWhen we contemplate the word ‘career’, it’s natural to think of one singular profession that someone pursues via education and then remains in for a long period of time. When you think of a doctor or an accountant, you usually think of them practicing that profession for decades, the majority if ...
Pencils for Kids - Giving Back this Holiday Season
Preconceived - December 13, 2022 10:00 - 58 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsZale is joined by his first ever guest from episode one, his mother Robin. On the first episode of this series, Robin discussed the idea of jumping into the unknown and embracing the twists and turns that life has to offer. In this episode, she shares one of her biggest "jump in" experiences, w...
179. Asexual
Preconceived - December 06, 2022 10:00 - 30 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsAside from sex being the main method of procreation, it is one of humankind’s greatest pleasures, to which most of us subscribe. But there are indeed people in society who do not partake in sex, or at least with the same regularity as one might expect. There are people who identify as asexual. Bu...
178. Self Hypnosis
Preconceived - November 29, 2022 10:00 - 42 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWhen you hear the word ‘hypnosis’, you might think of a swinging pendulum, or envision someone on a stage, showcasing a rare skill to a captivated audience. What you probably don’t think of – is hypnosis being used in a medical setting, by physicians. Stanford Professor Dr. David Spiegel joins th...
177. Leg Lengthening - Surgery to Become Taller
Preconceived - November 22, 2022 10:00 - 57 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThere are many people who exist on the shorter end of the height spectrum. For some people, it might be not the biggest deal – but for others, it might significantly impact their lives. But what if there were a way to change your height … to go from shorter to taller? Enter the surgery known as l...
Residential Schools
Preconceived - November 15, 2022 10:00 - 45 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsWhen our history books speak of North American history, it can almost read as if Canada and the United States did not exist until the Europeans settled the lands, while in reality, these lands were populated by indigenous peoples for centuries prior. With the arrival of the Europeans, there were ...
176. Napping
Preconceived - November 08, 2022 10:00 - 33 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsMany of us don't know what to make of napping; does napping provide health benefits, or is that just something we tell ourselves when we feel guilty for dozing off? Professor Sara Mednick is a cognitive neuroscientist and a leading expert on napping. She joins the podcast to share what she's lear...
175. Transition-Related Surgery
Preconceived - November 01, 2022 09:00 - 29 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThere are many preconceptions about what is entailed in transitioning, both from a medical and a surgical perspective. In this episode, Zale speaks with a urologist who specializes in transition-related surgeries at the University of Toronto. Below is a link to a previous episode we ran called ...
174. Shakespeare - What's all the fuss?
Preconceived - October 25, 2022 09:00 - 41 minutes ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsThe works and plays of William Shakespeare have endured for centuries. But what is it about Shakespeare that has made his works such a mainstay in our culture for so long? Are his works truly as transcendent as one would think, or are there other reasons that explain his enduring legacy? Cassidy...
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