| Human Profile | |
| Name: | Samuel Benjamin Harris |
| Birthday: | April 9, 1967 (age 58 years), Born in Los Angeles, California |
| Height: | 5'9" (175 cm) |
| Subscribers: | 835K |
| Views: | 59,504,790 |
| YouTube Revenue: | $59.5K - $297.5K |
| Videos: | 573 |
| Channel Created: | September 2010 |
Overview
Samuel Benjamin Harris is an American public intellectual, author, philosopher, and neuroscientist, recognized as a leading voice in the New Atheism movement and for his critiques of religion, advocacy for reason and scientific skepticism, and exploration of spirituality without dogma; he is also known for hosting the “Making Sense” podcast and creating the “Waking Up” meditation app.
Latest News (Jan 29, 2026): Sam Harris's YouTube channel (@samharrisorg) has been active with several new video uploads in the past week, including "ICE, Minneapolis, and the Lie That Everyone Can See" which garnered 168K views six days ago, and "Why No One Is Standing Up for Iranians" with 107K views two days ago. Additionally, new episodes of his "Making Sense" podcast, such as "#454 — More From Sam: Minnesota, Greenland, Iran, S**thole Countries, and More," were released on January 21st, 2026.
Early Life and Education
Samuel Benjamin Harris was born on April 9, 1967, in Los Angeles, California. His father was actor Berkeley Harris, and his mother is television writer and producer Susan Harris, known for creating shows like “The Golden Girls.” Following his parents’ divorce when he was two, he was raised by his mother in a secular household where religion was rarely discussed.
Harris initially enrolled at Stanford University to study English. However, a personal experience with MDMA sparked his interest in philosophical questions and the possibility of achieving spiritual insights without drugs. This led him to leave Stanford in his second year and travel to India and Nepal, where he spent eleven years studying meditation with various Buddhist and Hindu teachers. He returned to Stanford in 1997 and completed a B.A. in philosophy in 2000. He later earned a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2009. His doctoral research involved using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the neural basis of belief.
Career Beginnings and Rise to Prominence
The September 11, 2001 attacks prompted Samuel Benjamin Harris to write his first book, “The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason.” Published in 2004, the book won the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction and remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for 33 weeks. This publication marked his emergence as a prominent public intellectual and a leading voice in the New Atheism movement, alongside figures like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett.
He followed up with “Letter to a Christian Nation” in 2006, a direct response to the criticism he received for his first book. His writings, which often critique religion and advocate for reason and scientific skepticism, have been translated into over 20 languages.
Major Works and Projects
Samuel Benjamin Harris has authored several other books exploring topics ranging from morality and free will to spirituality without religion. His notable works include “The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values” (2010), “Free Will” (2012), and “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion” (2014). He has also co-authored “Islam and the Future of Tolerance: A Dialogue” (2015) with Maajid Nawaz.
In addition to his writing, he hosts the “Making Sense” podcast (originally titled “Waking Up”), where he discusses a wide array of subjects including science, philosophy, politics, and current events with various guests. He is also the creator of the “Waking Up” app, which provides guided meditation and lessons on mindfulness. Through his YouTube channel, with the ID UCNAxrHudMfdzNi6NxruKPLw, he shares podcast episodes and other content.
Public Discourse and Impact
Samuel Benjamin Harris is a significant figure in contemporary debates on religion, ethics, and rationality. His work and public appearances often involve discussions and debates with a wide range of individuals, from religious scholars to political commentators. He is a co-founder of Project Reason, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting scientific knowledge and secular values. His arguments for a morality grounded in science and his critiques of religious dogma have generated both praise and controversy.
Personal Life
Samuel Benjamin Harris is married to Annaka Harris, a science editor and author. The couple has two daughters. He is also a practitioner of martial arts.