Emiliana Simon-Thomas: The Science of Human Goodness

The Jono Fisher Podcast

Emiliana Simon-Thomas Phd is the Science Director at the Greater Good Science Centre at the University of California Berkeley. She is one of the leading authorities uncovering the deep roots of human goodness and she specialises in the biological underpinnings of prosocial states like compassion, kindness and empathy and how they benefit well-being and psychosocial functioning. Her programs are hugely popular and offered in online formats for over 400,000 students. During this wide ranging conversation, Emiliana shares how modern science all points to human beings being wired for compassion and connection. At one point, Emiliana said “Biologically, we’re built to dedicate ourselves to each other.” Emiliana also shares how the “achievement model of success” is letting so many people down and the perils of misunderstanding the word “happiness”. Instead, Emiliana speaks of the importance of experiencing our rich and diverse emotions like anger and sadness while also learning how to foster more resilience, connection and meaning.