Introduction to How to Change the World - Dissecting the History & Future of Innovation episode artwork

EPISODE · May 20, 2025 · 24 MIN

Introduction to How to Change the World - Dissecting the History & Future of Innovation

from How to Change the World: The History & Future of Innovation

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it" - Alan WattsThis opening episode invites you on a journey, not just through time, but through perspective.From fire-starting hominids to spacefaring technologists, "How to Change the World" is going to trace the ripples of human imagination that turned tools into empires, and sparks into systems.In this introduction episode:Set the tone for the podcastExplain what the show is and isn'tLearn how we are going to navigate this journeyAnswer who the hell is this 'Sam Harris' (the host)Explain our 7 principles for exploring history and innovationChange is rarely neat or obvious, but this podcast is here to help us understand it. We connect dots in history from the cognitive revolution and invention of language to the future of AI. Learn to ask better questions and consider the existential patterns of humanity and where we're going next.History isn't just a study of the past, it is also our present. As we live through unprecedented innovation, it's a perfect time to study the forces of tectonic shifts and how to guide them.If you're curious, optimistic, and even a little lost. You're in the right place.ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast on a mission to document the most important inventions in history in chronological order. We hope you join us for the ride to learn how the world changes and maybe pick up some idea on building the future of technology.It is written, recorded, re-recorded, rewritten and re-re-recorded entirely by Sam Webster Harris.(He also makes the music.)Find out more or contact the show - ChangeTheWorldPod.comDesigns were crafted by Francisca Correia (Available to hire)Podcast strategy from Jeremy Enns (Available to hire)CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction: The Dawn of Human Influence02:21 A Journey Through Time05:14 The Plan for the Podcast07:11 What counts as an innovation08:08 Release Schedule09:08 Beyond a history podcast10:03 A map is not a blueprint11:35 Why am i doing this?14:27 Why should you listen?15:36 The Myth of Stability16:31 7 Core Principles of the Show16:40 #1 - Interdisciplinary Thinking17:23 #2 - Systems Thinking18:02 #3 - Understanding of knowledge18:45 #4 - Context19:50 #5 - No current affairs and politics20:48 #6 - Side Quests21:56 #7 - Optimism22:59 Mission and sign off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it" - Alan WattsThis opening episode invites you on a journey, not just through time, but through perspective.From fire-starting hominids to spacefaring technologists, "How to Change the World" is going to trace the ripples of human imagination that turned tools into empires, and sparks into systems.In this introduction episode:Set the tone for the podcastExplain what the show is and isn'tLearn how we are going to navigate this journeyAnswer who the hell is this 'Sam Harris' (the host)Explain our 7 principles for exploring history and innovationChange is rarely neat or obvious, but this podcast is here to help us understand it. We connect dots in history from the cognitive revolution and invention of language to the future of AI. Learn to ask better questions and consider the existential patterns of humanity and where we're going next.History isn't just a study of the past, it is also our present. As we live through unprecedented innovation, it's a perfect time to study the forces of tectonic shifts and how to guide them.If you're curious, optimistic, and even a little lost. You're in the right place.ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast on a mission to document the most important inventions in history in chronological order. We hope you join us for the ride to learn how the world changes and maybe pick up some idea on building the future of technology.It is written, recorded, re-recorded, rewritten and re-re-recorded entirely by Sam Webster Harris.(He also makes the music.)Find out more or contact the show - ChangeTheWorldPod.comDesigns were crafted by Francisca Correia (Available to hire)Podcast strategy from Jeremy Enns (Available to hire)CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction: The Dawn of Human Influence02:21 A Journey Through Time05:14 The Plan for the Podcast07:11 What counts as an innovation08:08 Release Schedule09:08 Beyond a history podcast10:03 A map is not a blueprint11:35 Why am i doing this?14:27 Why should you listen?15:36 The Myth of Stability16:31 7 Core Principles of the Show16:40 #1 - Interdisciplinary Thinking17:23 #2 - Systems Thinking18:02 #3 - Understanding of knowledge18:45 #4 - Context19:50 #5 - No current affairs and politics20:48 #6 - Side Quests21:56 #7 - Optimism22:59 Mission and sign off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NOW PLAYING

Introduction to How to Change the World - Dissecting the History & Future of Innovation

0:00 24:00

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of How to Change the World: The History & Future of Innovation?

This episode is 24 minutes long.

When was this How to Change the World: The History & Future of Innovation episode published?

This episode was published on May 20, 2025.

What is this episode about?

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it" - Alan WattsThis opening episode invites you on a journey, not just through time, but through perspective.From fire-starting hominids to spacefaring technologists, "How to Change the...

Can I download this How to Change the World: The History & Future of Innovation episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!