Aspen Ideas to Go

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How Your Data Powers Artificial Intelligence Dec 04, 2019

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Artificial intelligence isn’t something we’ll see in the future. Thinking machines are already here, and nine powerful companies in the US and China control their development. The spam filter in your email inbox is AI. So are programs like Google Translate. The next level for thinking machines is when they begin learning the way humans learn. As artificial intelligence gets refined, who’s keeping track of whether these machines share our motivations, desires, and hopes for the future of humanity? Amy Webb, author of The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity, speaks with Alexis Madrigal, a staff writer for The Atlantic who covers Silicon Valley. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Evangelicals and America’s Culture War Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

In the 2016 presidential election, more than 80 percent of white evangelicals voted for President Trump. At one point (in the 19th century) evangelicals were associated with malcontents who fought for prison reform, abolitionism, and even early feminism. Now, this group is “the most loyal and most vital element of the Trump coalition,” says Michael Gerson, syndicated columnist for The Washington Post. He sits down with Kate Bowler, author of Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel, David French, senior writer for National Review, and Chris Buskirk, editor and publisher of American Greatness. In 2016, some pundits thought evangelicals wouldn’t support Trump, who’s been accused of sexual assault and married three times. How can this deeply faithful group rally behind a president whose behaviors and values don’t exactly match up to traditional Christian mores? The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Separating Myth from Reality in American History Nov 20, 2019

Show notes

Two Pulitzer Prize-winning historians explain the difference between myth and reality in American history. David Blight, a professor at Yale, says we use myths to help process history, which can be dismal. “Much of history is dark because human nature is dark. We sometimes have to process the past in sentimentalism — in stories that allow us to wake up in the morning.” Annette Gordon-Reed, an American legal history professor at Harvard, says the point of history is to figure out how you got to where you are in present-day. Blight and Gordon-Reed sit down with John Dickerson, correspondent for “60 Minutes,” to discuss correcting America’s historical memory. They touch on historical events like the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, and whether reparations for injustice are realistic. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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"Educated" with Tara Westover Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

Tara Westover's childhood was distinct. Raised by survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she encountered extreme adversity. She wasn't allowed to attend school, and instead worked in her father's junkyard. She suffered serious injuries, and was sometimes at the mercy of a volatile and abusive older brother. She chronicled her story in "Educated," a best-selling book she hopes people find relatable. "I wrote the book in such a way that people, I hoped, could have some little pieces of the experiences I had. I wanted that to through a filter of their own lives," she says. She speaks with Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic.

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How to Quash Bias Nov 05, 2019

Show notes

Bias is natural — it’s one way we make sense of the world. It becomes problematic when our biases become stereotypes and prejudices. So how do we manage bias, particularly in the classroom and workplace? Jennifer Eberhardt, author of “Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do,” sits down with Adam Grant, host of the WorkLife podcast to go over the science behind bias. How effective are workplace diversity trainings and how can we get at bias early before it becomes ingrained? John Dickerson, correspondent for “60 Minutes,” moderates the conversation. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Life Will Break Your Heart, with Kate Bowler Oct 29, 2019

Show notes

When she was 35 years old, Kate Bowler was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. She had been on an upward spiral: thriving in her career and loving life with her husband and newborn son. Bowler, who’s a scholar of Christianity, had just written the book “Blessed,” about the Christian idea that good things happen to good people. But through her experience of personal suffering, she realized no amount of determination can stop bad things from happening to anyone, no matter your level of faith. In an intimate conversation with David Brooks, op-ed columnist for The New York Times, Bowler talks about human frailty, why optimism can sometimes be a burden, and the dangers of worshiping at the altar of success. Bowler, who teaches at Duke Divinity School, has a new book out this month, “The Preacher’s Wife.” David Brooks runs a program at the Aspen Institute called Weave: The Social Fabric Project. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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What Is Antiracism and Can It Save Society? Oct 22, 2019

Show notes

Countering racism is essential to the formation of a just and equitable society — so how can we fight it? Ibram X. Kendi says to be able to recognize racism we need to define it and then understand it’s opposite: antiracism. In his new best-selling book, How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi explains that racism is powerful and can change the way we see and value others and ourselves. How can we recognize racism and work to oppose it? In his conversation with Jemele Hill, staff writer for The Atlantic, Kendi talks about his own battle with racism, why it’s so difficult to talk productively about racism, and why an understanding of history is essential to combating racism. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Using Tech to Bring Humanity Back to Medicine Oct 15, 2019

Show notes

In modern-day medicine, doctors have little time to spend with patients because rote tasks, like taking notes and performing medical scans, use up their precious time. Eric Topol, a prominent cardiologist, says there has been a steady degradation of the human side of health care – ever since medicine became big business. “We have de-humanized health care. We have gutted the care of health care. This is our only shot to get it back.” He believes artificial intelligence can help free time for doctors so they can listen more closely to patients about their medical concerns. He speaks with David Brooks, op-ed columnist for The New York Times, about Topol's latest book, “Deep Medicine.” Topol is executive vice president of Scripps Research. Brooks is executive director of Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute.

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The Chief: Will a Swing Vote Change the Future of the Supreme Court? Oct 09, 2019

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The Supreme Court will take up contentious issues like gay rights, health care, abortion, and DACA this term, which kicked off Monday. The outcome of these cases may hinge on one vote — from Chief Justice John Roberts. Roberts is at the center of the Court not just because he’s Chief but because he’s a swing vote. Joan Biskupic, author of The Chief: The Life and Turbulent Times of Chief Justice John Roberts, says Roberts wrestles with two competing impulses: his strong commitment to certain conservative principles and his concern for the institutional legitimacy of the Court. Biskupic speaks with Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, about the dynamic of the Court and Roberts’ great influence on it — inside and outside the courtroom. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Lawlessness on the High Seas Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

One of the most lawless places on earth is the high seas – remote waters, often hundreds of miles from shore. These largely ungoverned waters play host to criminal acts like sea slavery, gun running, human trafficking, and abuse of stowaways. “The lack of protections for the people who work above the water line and the creatures below, I think, is a huge problem,” says New York Times investigative reporter Ian Urbina. Urbina spent five perilous years jumping aboard fishing vessels and talking with the victims of these inhumanities. His book Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, chronicles their stories and what can be done to protect workers and the wild places they frequent. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, interviews Urbina.

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