92: Primal Intelligence: From Special Ops to Shakespeare

Our latest LiveWell podcast episode features an inspiring and deeply insightful conversation with Angus Fletcher, Professor of English at Ohio State University and a core member of Project Narrative.

Angus shares his personal journey from working in a neurophysiology lab studying live brain cells to pursuing a PhD in literature at Yale to understand the mechanics of story.

Drawing from his work with the US Army Special Forces and his latest book, Primal Intelligence, Angus explores how the human brain evolved to be smart in uncertainty—a capacity he fears we are losing in an age of computational logic.

He highlights the flaw in modern education that treats intelligence as a pattern-matching game and offers practical, hopeful pathways forward through the four pillars of primal intelligence.

In this episode, we discuss:

● Why AI is "lobotomizing" the human brain by ignoring narrative thinking

● The four pillars of Primal Intelligence: Intuition, Imagination, Emotion, and Common Sense

● How to train pediatric residents to trust their "feelings" as medical data

● Lessons from Shakespeare on starting stories in the middle to spark wonder

● The critical difference between being a manager and being a leader

● How to reform education to support early-career scholars and innovative thinkers

Whether you’re a student, educator, policymaker, or anyone searching for a sense of purpose in a digital world, this episode offers actionable tools, uplifting stories, and a powerful vision for a more human future.

Resources:

Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740110/primal-intelligence-by-angus-fletcher/

Website: https://www.angusfletcher.co/

Listen now and subscribe for more stories that challenge conventional thinking and inspire holistic well-being.

Today’s podcast was brought to you by UCLA’s Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center.

It really means a lot to our team when you rate and review LiveWell on your preferred listening platform.

Thank you so much for supporting our storytelling.

We also have links in the show notes on our website at healthy.ucla.edu/livewellpodcast.

If you have any questions or want to suggest a guest to be interviewed, please reach out at: livewell@ucla.edu.

To stay up to date with our latest podcasts, make sure to follow us on Instagram @LiveWell_UCLA!

Today’s podcast was brought to you by UCLA’s Semel Healthy Campus Initiatives Center. It really means a lot to our team when you rate and review LiveWell on your preferred listening platform. Thank you so much for supporting our storytelling. 

We also have links in the show notes on our website: https://healthy.ucla.edu/ 

If you have any questions or want to suggest a guest to be interviewed, please reach out at: livewell@ucla.edu  

To stay up to date with our latest podcasts, make sure to follow us on Instagram @healthyucla