Intelligence Squared

In part two of this partnership with the Swedish publishing house and ideas forum Fri Tanke we hear from Anders Ynnerman, Professor of Scientific Visualization at Linköping University and the Program Director of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP), and Henrik Kugelberg, Interdisciplinary ethics fellow Stanford University - who react to philosopher David Chalmer's keynote speech on VR, AI, and the Mystery of Consciousness. 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.  This event took place in May 2023 in Stockholm. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you’d like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currenc

Throughout the year, AI development has taken significant strides. We are living in a society that is becoming increasingly reliant on digital technology, which soon could be flooded with computer-generated content. As technology advances, it will become harder to distinguish between the virtual and the real, eventually almost impossible. Is this a cause for concern? In part one of this partnership with the Swedish publishing house and ideas forum Fri Tanke we hear from keynote speaker David Chalmers, Professor of Philosophy at New York University. 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.  This event took place in May 2023 in Stockholm. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you’d like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, beco

VS is the new podcast from Intelligence Squared exploring those little debates that are always a big deal to someone. For the first episode, two expert guests go head to head to decide once and for all who is king of the road for the debate Cars VS Bicycles. Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a writer, broadcaster, social advocate and one-time racing car engineer. Her upcoming book later this summer is Stand Up and Speak Out Against Racism. Roma Agrawal – also known as Roma the Engineer – is a structural engineer, author and broadcaster, whose expertise helped build the Shard skyscraper in London. Her latest book is, Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World (in a Big Way). These two mechanical minds are both intrigued by the engineering marvels that make the world go round, but Yassmin says we should do it with four wheels in a car, and Roma with just two on a bicycle. Coco Khan is your host with the roadmap to victory and there can only be one winner – you the listeners decide – follow the link bel

The great dilemmas of geopolitics are not battles of good against evil, where the choices are clear. They are contests of good against good, where the choices are often painful, incompatible and fraught with consequence. That’s the argument that political scientist Robert Kaplan who's joined here in conversation by political philosopher John Gray. Together they discuss how the insights of the Greek tragedians – Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides – as well as Shakespeare and modern philosophers and classic authors can help us understand the central subjects of international politics: order, disorder, rebellion, ambition, loyalty to family and state, violence, and the mistakes of power. And they explored how viewing events through a tragic lens could guide the West’s strategy for dealing with Russia and China today.  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 p

Since the Wall Street Crash in 1929, financial meltdowns have repeatedly sent shockwaves through our world. From the currency crises of the 1980s and 1990s, to Japan’s housing crash, the dot com boom and bust, the global financial meltdown, the euro crisis and the COVID pandemic. In May 2023, economist Linda Yueh came to Intelligence Squared to tell the stories of these historic events and what we can learn from them. Drawing from her new book The Great Crashes, Yueh warns about where the next crash might come from and shows how to prepare for them and prevent them. Joining her in conversation is politician and author, Jesse Norman. 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 get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access

This episode is part two of our live event on economic growth. In May 2023, journalist Kamal Ahmed, was joined by three influential economists, Kate Raworth, Helen Thompson, and Bim Afolami to discuss if we can indeed have prosperity without growth. Part three of this event is available ad free, for subscribers now.  This conversation is part of Intelligence Squared’s live debate partnership with the Southbank Centre. 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 get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more

As the UK and other countries around the world grapple with a bleak economic forecast and the creeping effects of climate change, the debate over economic growth and its role in our economies has come into sharp focus. In part one of this live event journalist Kamal Ahmed, was joined by three influential economists, Kate Raworth, Helen Thompson, and Bim Afolami to discuss if we can indeed have prosperity without growth. Part two and three of this event are available ad free, for subscribers now. And for our listeners who don’t subscribe part 2 will be available in our next episode.  This conversation took place in May 2023 and is part of Intelligence Squared’s live debate partnership with the Southbank Centre. 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 get ad-free access to

VS is a light-hearted podcast about the little debates that are always a big deal to someone. Arsenal VS Spurs. McDonald’s VS KFC. Peep Show VS The Office. 80s VS 90s. And many more. Our host Coco Khan invites experts and fans to go head-to-head on the timeless debates that form the lifeblood of friendships. Who wins? You decide with our weekly vote. VS is an Intelligence Squared production. Tune in to new episodes every Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, we bring you a thought-provoking discussion with renowned journalist and best-selling author, Sathnam Sanghera. Here he delves into patriotism, the culture wars, and the nuanced narratives of the British Empire and its forgotten, and often purposefully destroyed, history. Sanghera is joined by fellow journalist and author Kavita Puri, prior to the release of his latest children's book, 'Stolen History'. This episode was recorded on the 17th of May 2023. The producer was Senior Producer Conor Boyle with editing by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney — 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 Intelligen

In this episode we explore the history of brainwashing - the process of pressuring someone into adopting radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible means. Daniel Pick, a Psychoanalyst, Historian, and Professor Emeritus of History at Birkbeck College, University of London, joins Subhadra Das, broadcaster, academic and writer, with a keen interest in the history of eugenics, to delve into the murky history and psychology of brainwashing and to discuss Pick's latest book, 'Brainwashed: A New History of Thought Control'. This episode was recorded on the 17th of April 2023. It was produced by Senior Producer Tom Hall, with editing by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney — 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 compe

This episode is part two of our live Bach vs Beethoven. The BBC’s Reeta Chakrabarti was joined by world-renowned cellist Steven Isserlis and acclaimed music critic Norman Lebrecht to discuss who was greater, Bach or Beethoven? Mishka Rushdie Momen accompanies this conversation on the piano. Part three of this event is available ad free, for subscribers now.  This conversation took place in April 2023. It was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye, with editing by Lead Producer Catharine Hughes — 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/me

Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven are without doubt two of the most sublime musical geniuses who ever lived. But which of the two was the greater?  To battle it out In part one of this live event, Intelligence Squared brought to the stage two celebrated figures from the world of music: world-renowned cellist Steven Isserlis for Bach and acclaimed music critic Norman Lebrecht for Beethoven.  The event was hosted by the BBC’s Reeta Chakrabarti, with Mishka Rushdie Momen on the piano. Part two and three of this event are available ad free, for subscribers now. And for our listeners who don’t subscribe part 2 will be available in our next episode.  This conversation took place in April 2023. It was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye, with editing by Lead Producer Catharine Hughes — 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@intelligence

With roots in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, ballroom culture evolved into a vibrant movement that has since been a haven of self-expression, creativity, and community for the LGBTQ individuals, particularly those from the black and latino community. It's a world of flamboyant fashion, fierce competition, and above all, a celebration of identity. In this episode, we're not just exploring the sequins and voguing, we're delving deeper. We discuss the significant impact of ballroom culture on popular culture and its commodification in the mainstream, and we address its crucial role as a form of protest and its influence on the fight for LGBTQ rights and acceptance. And the Category Is…Inside New York’s Vogue, House, and Ballroom Community, By Ricky Tucker — 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 @intelligence

When writer and musician Eliza Hull was pregnant with her first child, like most parents-to-be she felt a mix of nerves and excitement. But as a disabled person she faced added complexities. Would the pregnancy be too hard? Would people judge her? Would she cope with the demands of parenting? On May 24th, 2023, Hull came to Intelligence Squared with host, writer, and campaigner Lucy Webster, where they discussed the themes of Hull's new book, 'We've Got This: Essays By Disabled Parents.' The anthology explores the highs and lows of their parenting journeys, showing that often the greatest obstacles lie in other people's attitudes. This event was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye with editing by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney. — 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

In this episode we bring you our event ‘The Battle for Your Brain’, recorded on the 2nd of May 2023. Imagine a world where people who suffer from epilepsy receive alerts moments before a seizure, where the average person can peer into their own mind to eliminate painful memories and we can easily cure addictions. This is also a world where your brain could be interrogated to learn your political beliefs, your thoughts can be used as evidence of a crime, and your own feelings can be held against you.  One of the world’s foremost experts on the ethics of neuroscience, Professor Nita Farahany claims that neuroscience has already made all of this possible today, and neurotechnology will soon become the ‘universal controller’ for all of our interactions with technology. According to Farahany, the growth of commercial neurotechnology could be of immense benefit to humanity, but without safeguards, it could seriously threaten our fundamental human rights to privacy, freedom of thought and self-determination.  With o

Whether it's skiing in Afghanistan, eating lobster in Cuba, or a package tour in North Korea - here are some things to consider for when you plan your next holiday.  In this episode of the podcast we explore the ethical boundaries of travel and tourism to countries under a repressive regime. Is it justifiable to travel to such places, potentially aiding oppressive governments with tourism dollars? Or, could these visits serve as a crucial bridge, creating an avenue for dialogue and cultural exchange, and an opportunity for the outside world to witness the realities on the ground? Our host for this episode is Philippa Thomas, and our guests are James Willcox, Suki Kim, and Evan Dyer. — 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 get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podca

In this episode we bringing you the recording of our event ‘Tory Nation: How One Party Took Over’, recorded on the 10th of May 2023. The Conservative Party has been in power in the United Kingdom since 2010, stumbling its way through corruption scandals, the turmoil of Brexit, a pandemic, and five prime ministers. And yet it has won the last four elections in a row. How? With host Commissioning Editor and Writer at the New Statesman, Will Lloyd, Samuel Earle came to Intelligence Squared to shed light on the Conservatives’ remarkable grip on power throughout history. Drawing from his new book ‘Tory Nation’, Earle explored the Conservatives’ ruling class origins in the eighteenth century, their influence on the British press and their historic appeal to working class voters to piece together the reasons for their political success.  To hear the full length episode of this event and to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, head to intelligence Squared.com/members to become a m

To mark the passing of one of Britain's most celebrated writers, we’re replaying an event recorded with us in November 2020. Martin Amis was often called the Mick Jagger of the British book world. As famous for his love affairs, his friendships and his complicated family history as for his dazzling prose, he dominated the literary scene for decades.  In this exclusive Intelligence Squared event, made in partnership with Penguin Live, he speaks about his much anticipated autobiographical novel Inside Story. It is perhaps Amis’s most intimate book, a meditation on love, loss, ageing and death. We encounter the vivid characters who have helped define Amis – his father Kingsley, his literary hero Saul Bellow, the poet Philip Larkin and his novelist stepmother Elizabeth Jane Howard.  And of course there is his lifelong friend and conversation partner, Christopher Hitchens, whose death from cancer he chronicles in some of the tenderest prose he has ever written.  In conversation with novelist Alex Preston, Amis ref

This episode is part two of our live event on the end of the war in Ukraine. In March 2023, the BBC’s Clive Myrie, was joined by four leading historians, Orlando Figes, Max Hastings, Anne Applebaum, and Olesya Khromeychuk, to discuss when - and how - this almost decade-long conflict could end. Part two and three of this event are available ad free, for subscribers now. And for our listeners who don’t subscribe part 2 will be available in our next episode.  This conversation is part of Intelligence Squared’s live debate partnership with the Southbank Centre. 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 get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared

With the Russian army struggling to make gains in Eastern Ukraine and the devastating impact of the war taking its toll, many are wondering if Vladimir Putin’s war may be nearing an end point, and what a realistic end to this conflict may look like. In part one of this live event the BBC’s Clive Myrie, was joined by four leading historians, Orlando Figes, Max Hastings, Anne Applebaum, and Olesya Khromeychuk, to discuss when - and how - this almost decade-long conflict could end. Part two and three of this event are available ad free, for subscribers now. And for our listeners who don’t subscribe part 2 will be available in our next episode.  This conversation took place in March 2023 and is part of Intelligence Squared’s live debate partnership with the Southbank Centre. 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