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Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squaredwww.intelligencesquared.com
Intelligence Squared is the home of lively debate and deep-dive discussion. Follow Intelligence Squared wherever you get your podcasts and enjoy four regular episodes per week taking you to the heart of the issues that matter in the company of the world’s great minds. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.
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Episodes

Intelligence Squared Recommends – Climate Solutions: Is COVID-19 good or bad for the climate?

We have a special bonus episode for you today - we wanted to introduce you to a podcast we think you'll really enjoy, called Climate Solutions, from our partners, the European Investment Bank. What would you give up to solve the climate crisis? Flights to exotic holiday destinations? Red meat? Your car? Climate Solutions surveyed 30 000 people in every EU country, in China, the US and the UK to find out what they’re ready to do to fight climate change. And whether, facing the threat posed by COV...

Mar 11, 202120 min

BONUS: International Women's Day Special with Margaret Atwood, Bernardine Evaristo, Rose McGowan and more

For International Women's Day we bring to you a special bonus episode of our award-winning podcast, How I Found My Voice presented by the BBC journalist Samira Ahmed. This episode features clips from some of our favourite female interviewees including novelists Margaret Atwood, Bernardine Evaristo and Elif Shafak, actors Kate Winslet, Rose McGowan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, singer Paloma Faith, Labour politician and Member of Parliament Jess Phillips, businesswoman Gina Miller, and comedian Kath...

Mar 08, 202151 min

Jon Sopel on Fear and Loathing on the US Campaign Trail

In this week's episode BBC North America Editor Jon Sopel takes us behind the scenes of perhaps the most extraordinary election campaign ever in American politics – when a global pandemic threw the country into turmoil and threatened not just the presidency but the very institutions of American democracy itself. Sopel revealed the inside story of how the presidential race became a battle for the very soul of the nation – and what lies ahead with the new administration of Joe Biden and Kamala Har...

Mar 05, 20211 hr

Intelligence Squared Recommends – Change Makers, with Yanis Varoufakis

We have a special bonus episode for you today – we wanted to introduce you to a podcast we think you'll really enjoy, called Change Makers. Change Makers presents fresh ideas and inspirational life stories from people with a passion – the campaigners, creators, connectors and contrarians – all making a difference. In this episode economist, author, economist and former finance minister of Greece Yanis Varoufakis spoke to Michael Hayman, co-founder of the campaigns firm Seven Hills. They discusse...

Mar 04, 202138 min

The Cyber Weapons Arms Race, with Nicole Perlroth and Josh Glancy

Zero day: a software bug that allows a hacker to break into your devices and move around undetected. One of the most coveted tools in a spy's arsenal, a zero day has the power to silently spy on your iPhone, dismantle the safety controls at a chemical plant, alter an election, and shut down the electric grid (just ask the Ukraine). For decades, under cover of classification levels and non-disclosure agreements, the United States government became the world's dominant hoarder of zero days. U.S. g...

Mar 02, 202154 min

BONUS: Kate Winslet on Titanic, Hollywood and Finding Her Voice

This bonus podcast features an episode from another Intelligence Squared podcast called How I Found My Voice. In this episode Hollywood star Kate Winslet speaks to the BBC journalist Samira Ahmed. They speak about her life and career, from discovering her love of acting in childhood and becoming a Hollywood sensation in Titanic to never-before-told stories of her and Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as her reflections on how the film industry deals with recording intimate scenes and her latest movie A...

Feb 28, 202154 min

Facebook, Free Speech and the Fight for Digital Democracy, With Marietje Schaake and Carl Miller

In this week's episode Marietje Schaake International Director of Policy at Stanford University's Cyber Policy Centre speaks to Carl Miller about Facebook's recent legal battle with Australia, Trump's deplatforming from Twitter and how we can preserve democracy and civil liberties in the age of Big Tech. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared . See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Feb 26, 202140 min

The New Climate War, with Michael Mann and Clover Hogan

In this week's episode renowned climate scientist Michael Mann speaks to Clover Hogan about the thirty-year war to deflect blame and delay action on climate change. They discuss the new tactics and psychological battle to confront the causes of climate change and offer a roadmap winning the war to save the planet. To find out more about the book click here: https://amzn.to/2NQzjR8 To find out more about Forces of Nature click here: https://www.forceofnature.xyz/ Support this show http://supporte...

Feb 23, 202152 min

Debate: Big Tech was Right to Deplatform Trump

Shortly after a pro Trump mob stormed the Capitol on January 6th - Big Tech unplugged the President. For years he’d used social media to communicate directly with his supporters. Even on the day, as lawmakers in the Capitol scurried to find places of safety during the siege, Trump posted: ‘STOP THE STEAL’, and proclaimed ‘You will never take back our country with weakness.’ Then, came the crack down. Reddit removed the “DonaldTrump subreddit”. YouTube tightened its policy on posting videos, that...

Feb 19, 20211 hr 3 min

No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram, with Sarah Frier and Linda Yueh

In 2010, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger released a photo-sharing app called Instagram, with one simple but irresistible feature: it would make anything you captured look more beautiful. The cofounders cultivated a community of photographers and artisans around the app, and it quickly went mainstream. In less than two years, it caught Facebook's attention: Mark Zuckerberg bought the company for a historic $1 billion when Instagram had only thirteen employees. In this week's episode Sarah Frier au...

Feb 16, 202143 min

Britain Alone: From Suez to Brexit, with Philip Stephens and Mark Mardell

In this week's episode Philip Stephens the Financial Times chief political commentator speaks to Mark Mardell about why Britain is a nation struggling to reconcile its waning power with past glory. Drawing on his new book 'Britain Alone' Stephens argues Britain is a proud nation struggling to admit it is no longer a great power. It is an indispensable guide to how we arrived at the state we are in. To buy the book click here: https://amzn.to/3b2tl7l Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/i...

Feb 12, 202146 min

The Last Untamed Frontier, with Ian Urbina and Helen Czerski

There are few remaining frontiers on our planet. But perhaps the wildest, and least understood, are the world's oceans: too big to police, and under no clear international authority, these immense regions of treacherous water play host to rampant criminality and exploitation. In this week's episode Ian Urbina speaks to Helen Czerski about the piracy, smuggling, beauty and danger of our Oceans. To donate to the Outlaw Ocean Project click here: https://bit.ly/3cX7OzS To listen to The Outlaw Ocean ...

Feb 09, 202140 min

Bellingcat Founder Eliot Higgins on Navalny, Syria and Skripal

In this week's episode Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, tells the dramatic story of how he went from college dropout to pioneering a new category of reporting that has cracked some of the biggest cases in the world. Drawing from his new book We Are Bellingcat, Higgins reveals the tools his investigators use, from software that helps pinpoint the location of an image, to an app that can nail down the time a photo was taken. He discussed Bellingcat’s investigations into the downing of flight ...

Feb 05, 202159 min

The Great Decoupling, with Nigel Inkster and Linda Yueh

In this week's episode Nigel Inkster argues that growing tension between the USA and China could result in the two superpowers decoupling their technology—with significant consequences for humanity’s future. The episode was hosted by economist and broadcaster Linda Yueh. To find out more and buy the book click here: https://bit.ly/3pIoVsC Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared . See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices....

Feb 02, 202150 min

Jim Al-Khalili on The World According to Physics

Why does physics matter? What can the study of energy and force, of matter and its motion and behaviour through space and time teach us about the universe and the nature of reality itself? According to Jim Al-Khalili, the renowned physics professor and host of BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific, we all need to understand the three pillars of modern physics — quantum theory, relativity and thermodynamics — if we are ever to have a full grasp of reality and our place in this universe. In this week'...

Jan 29, 202159 min

How to Save The Planet, with Mike Berners Lee and Jenny Kleeman

Climate change, feeding the world, biodiversity, plastics – the list of environmental concerns seems endless. But which of these is the most pressing and, given the global nature of the challenges we face, what can any of us do as individuals to make a difference? Do we all need to become vegan? Is local food best? How should we spend and invest our money? In January 2021 leading carbon expert Mike Berners-Lee, author of the bestselling book There Is No Planet B, came to Intelligence Squared to ...

Jan 26, 202158 min

The Power of Ethics, with Susan Liautaud and Josh Lowe

In this week's episode ethics expert Susan Liautaud speaks to journalist and writer about how we can make sense of ethical dilemmas and be more attuned to the ethical dimension of our actions. Drawing on her new book 'The Power of Ethics' which documents over two decades as an ethics advisor guiding corporations, academic institutions and students in her Stanford University ethics courses, Susan Liautaud provides clarity to blurry ethical questions, walking you through a straightforward, four-st...

Jan 22, 202146 min

Can Joe Biden Heal America?

On January 20 Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. But as the storming of the Capitol on January 6 by supporters of Donald Trump showed, those 50 states are far from united. Biden inherits a battered country that needs putting back together. Its political tribes need to find common cause. Its people need vaccines. Its economy needs triage. Sure, Biden beat Donald Trump by more than six million votes. But more people voted for Trump in November than they did four...

Jan 19, 202153 min

Populista! The Rise of Latin America's Strongman, with Will Grant and Mark Mardell

For more than six decades, Fidel Castro's words have echoed through the politics of Latin America. His towering political influence still looms over the region today. The swing to the Left in Latin America, known as the 'Pink Tide', was the most important political movement in the Western Hemisphere in the 21st century. Yet today, this wave of populism has left the Americas in the hands of some of the most authoritarian and dangerous leaders since the military dictatorships of the 1970s. In this...

Jan 15, 202146 min

Intelligence Squared Recommends – Power: The Maxwells

For today's episode we have something a little different for you. We wanted to introduce you to a new podcast we think you’ll love called Power: The Maxwells. Everyone’s heard of Ghislaine Maxwell (Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged partner in crime). But there’s a shadowy figure who hangs above her who you likely don’t know: her father, media tycoon Robert Maxwell. His rise from nothing to fall… from the deck of his super yacht under mysterious circumstances is straight out of a crime novel. His favorit...

Jan 13, 202111 min

David Epstein On Why Generalists Are More Successful Than Specialists

Studying the world's most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors and scientists, David Epstein demonstrates why in most fields – especially those that are complex and unpredictable – generalists, not specialists are primed to excel. No matter what you do, where you are in life, whether you are a teacher, student, scientist, business analyst, parent, job hunter, retiree, you will see the world differently. You'll understand better how we solve problems, how we learn and how we succeed...

Jan 12, 202147 min

Trump, Brexit and the Direction of 2021, with Will Davies and Matt Goodwin

2021 is already set to be a monumental year. On January 1 Britain finally Brexited with a deal. On January 20 Joe Biden will become President of the United States. And as we move towards the summer months more and more of us will be vaccinated against COVID-19. What will these seismic events mean for the future of Britain and America? As the pandemic eases, will we see fairer more unified nations? Or will our economic and cultural divides open up and become even more pronounced? To discuss and d...

Jan 08, 20211 hr 2 min

How to Make the World Add Up, with Tim Harford

This episode was recorded in September 2020. 'The undercover economist' and Numbers and economics guru Tim Harford takes a deep dive into the world of statistics. Drawing on the ideas in his new book, How to Make the World Add Up: Ten Rules for Thinking Differently About Numbers, Harford takes us on a journey through art forgery, fake news, big data and dangerous political narratives, relaying the stories behind our understanding of what numbers mean, and showing why using them properly can give...

Jan 05, 202153 min

Reform and Repression in Saudi Arabia, with Madawi Al-Rasheed and Jeremy Bowen

In 2018 journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi regime operatives, shocking the world and drawing widespread condemnation. Mohammad bin Salman, the kingdom’s young crown prince, denied any involvement in the killing but his reputation as a moderniser was tarnished. Bin Salman had tried to build an international reputation as a reformer by allowing women to drive and permitting concerts in Saudi Arabia for the first time, but the brutal killing reminded the world that the kingdom was sti...

Jan 01, 202159 min

Otegha Uwagba and Mariel Richards on Navigating Whiteness

In November 2020 author and podcaster Otegha Uwagba came to Intelligence Squared to discuss her new book, Whites: On Race and Other Falsehoods. Containing reflections on racism, whiteness, and the mental labour required of Black people to navigate relationships with white people, Whites is a record of Uwagba’s observations on this era-defining moment in history. In the wake of George Floyd’s brutal murder, the subsequent protests and scrutiny of institutional racism, it has been impossible to ig...

Dec 29, 202059 min

Christmas Special: Dan Goleman on Emotional Intelligence with Manveen Rana

No speaker in the history of Intelligence Squared has generated as many YouTube views as Daniel Goleman. His 2013 talk for us has been viewed 3.2 million times. Goleman returned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his number one, multi-million copy international bestseller, Emotional Intelligence. The book, revolutionary at the time, taught us that qualities such as self-awareness, impulse control, persistence, motivation, empathy and social deftness are more important than raw IQ. These so-cal...

Dec 24, 202058 min

The Art of Rest, with Claudia Hammond and Helen Czerski

The pandemic of 2020 has turned our lives upside down. Home working and homeschooling have become the norm for millions of us. And while you might think that the absence of long commutes, live entertainment and late-night socialising means we are more rested, many of us are more frazzled than ever, finding it difficult to separate work from downtime and unable to take proper time out for ourselves. And when we do, we often feel guilty that we aren’t doing something more productive. In this live ...

Dec 22, 202058 min

Alicia Garza on Creating Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter began as a hashtag when Alicia Garza wrote what she calls ‘a love letter to Black people’ on Facebook, after George Zimmerman was acquitted of fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, in 2013. In November 2020 Garza came to Intelligence Squared to recount how she and her co-founders built Black Lives Matter into the most influential movement of recent times. The phrase she coined was chanted by millions of people around the world this year in protests agains...

Dec 18, 202058 min

Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Fall of WeWork

In its earliest days, WeWork promised the impossible: to make the workplace cool. In episode one of Intelligence Squared Business Reeves Wiedeman tells the story of how WeWork attracted billions of dollars from some of the most sought-after investors in the world, to build a global empire. Based on more than two hundred interviews, Wiedeman's book Billion Dollar Loser chronicles the breakneck speed at which WeWork's CEO Adam Neumann built and grew his company. Culminating in a day-by-day account...

Dec 17, 202048 min

Philosophy in the Age of Covid-19, with Eric Weiner and Danielle Sands

In this week's episode Eric Weiner speaks to Danielle Sands about what philosophy can teach us in the age of COVID-19. From Socrates and ancient Athens to Simone de Beauvoir and twentieth-century Paris they discuss philosophers and places that provide important signposts as we navigate today’s chaotic times. To find out more about the book click here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Socrates-Express-Search-Lessons-Philosophers/dp/1501129015 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquar...

Dec 15, 202033 min
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