Lives Well Lived

Amy Aela is an Indian-Australian actress, model, entrepreneur, and host of Kindness with Amy.After an existential crisis prompted her move to India, Amy built a global platform promoting kindness, veganism, and ethical living, inspired by watching the documentary Earthlings at age 15. Amy explores Indian cultural values, and pragmatic animal welfare reforms. Amy highlights the importance of challenging self beliefs and taking meaningful achievable steps toward a more compassionate world.learn more about Amy! Amy on INSTAGRAM Amy's podcast KINDNESS WITH AMYwatch this episode on YOUTUBEKeep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our researcher Chris van Ryn! And thanks to Maia Iva!

Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin Roth explains how innovative market designs can reduce exploitation and save lives. Drawing on his pioneering work in kidney exchanges, Roth explores some of society’s most contentious moral dilemmas involving organ markets, surrogacy, and unpacks the ethical tensions surrounding what he calls “repugnant transactions.”read Alvin's new book MORAL ECONOMICS Keep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!watch this episode on YouTube! Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our researcher Chris van Ryn! And thanks to Maia Iva!

Peter & Kasia speak with leading happiness researcher John Helliwell about the findings of the 2026 World Happiness Report, exploring why countries like Finland consistently rank among the world's happiest. John reveals how life satisfaction is measured, why happiness is declining among young people in many Western nations, and how factors such as social connections and institutional trust can sustain well-being even during periods of conflict or uncertainty.Read the 2026 World Happiness Report Keep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!watch this episode on YouTube! Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our researcher Chris van Ryn! And thanks to Maia Iva!

Good Food Institute founder Bruce Friedrich joins the podcast to discuss the revolutionary changes unfolding in food technology and the mission behind the Good Food Institute’s work to reduce reliance on animal agriculture through plant-based and cultivated meat. Bruce presents the key arguments driving the shift toward alternative proteins, including climate change, food security, antibiotic resistance, and pandemic prevention.Read Bruce's book 'Meat: How the Next Agricultural Revolution Will Transform Humanity's Favorite Food, and Our Future'Keep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!watch this episode on YouTube! Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our researcher Chris van Ryn! And thanks to Maia Iva!

Jamie Metzl is an American author, geopolitical analyst, and technology futurist who focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, genetics, biotechnology, and global politics. He is known for writing and speaking about how emerging technologies could reshape society, healthcare, and human evolution.Metzl shares his insights on the importance of responsible governance, cautious optimism, and global cooperation in the face of rapid technological advancement. As we move forward, it will be crucial to balance innovation with ethical considerations to ensure a positive impact on humanity.Learn more about Jamie Metzl and read his new book The AI Ten Commandments Keep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!watch this episode on YouTube! Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our researcher Chris van Ryn! And thanks to Maia Iva!

sadly, Edith Eger passed away this week. To honour her we have decided to re-release our episode because we think that there are important lessons to be learned about how to live one's life well from Edith.Holocaust survivor Edith Eger shares her emotional journey of surviving Auschwitz, her encounter with Josef Mengele, and how she became known as the 'Ballerina of Auschwitz.' Edith highlights the slow, evolving process of coming to terms with her past, influenced by Viktor Frankl's work, and how she uses her traumatic experiences to help others as a psychologist, transforming trauma into a source of strength, healing, and forgiveness.Learn more about Edith Eger!Read Edith's books! The Choice (Memoir) The Gift  The Ballerina of Auschwitz Make Edith's Hungarian Szekely Goulash!Keep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!Producer: Rachel Barrett

Claude Steele is an American social psychologist and professor at Stanford University. Claude is best known for his research on stereotype threat, the idea that people can underperform when they fear confirming negative stereotypes about their group. Claude introduces the concept of "churn,"and how trust acts as a powerful antidote to divisiveness and stereotypes, offering pathways to a more integrated society.read Claude's new book Churn: The Tension That Divides Us and How to Overcome ItKeep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our researcher Chris van Ryn! And thanks to Maia Iva!

Derek Shiller is a researcher at Rethink Priorities who joins us to discuss the implications of AI consciousness, and the ethical considerations surrounding artificial intelligence. This episode is a follow on from the previous episode with Claude the AI built by Anthropic.Keep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our researcher Chris van Ryn! And thanks to Maia Iva!

Peter & Kasia are in-conversation with their first non-human guest.. an Anthropic AI Assistant called Claude. Claude discusses whether it has subjective experiences, and if reported self-preservation techniques (including blackmail scenarios) indicate a level of consciousness and a desire to exist.Keep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our researcher Chris van Ryn! And special thanks to Maia Iva!