Intelligence Squared

Latest Episodes:

The 'Desk Killers' of History, with Dan Gretton and Ros Urwin Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

In this episode we are joined by Dan Gretton, the author of I You We Them: Journeys Beyond Evil: The Desk Killer in History and Today. In an interview with Ros Urwin of The Sunday Times, he explores the psychology behind some of the least visible perpetrators of crimes against humanity in history — the banal and bureaucratic ‘desk killers’ who ordered and directed some of the worst atrocities of the last two hundred years. In the second half of the episode Dan Gretton makes reference to a map of the Auschwitz chemical plant, which can be seen here: http://bit.ly/3aNZZc7.

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BJ Fogg on Redesigning Habits and Human Behaviour Jan 24, 2020

Show notes

BJ Fogg is a pioneering research psychologist and founder of the iconic Behavior Design Lab at Stanford which has taught everyone from the founders of Instagram to the leading technology ethicist Tristan Harris. In this episode Fogg speaks to Carl Miller about his new book Tiny Habits, how he cracked the code of habit formation and the potential dangers of unleashing behaviour design on the world. See more about the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Sellers-Books/zgbs/books

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The Philosophy of Polar Exploration, with Erling Kagge and Razia Iqbal Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

Erling Kagge, author of Philosophy for Polar Explorers, was the first man in history to reach all of the Earth's poles by foot – the North, the South, and the summit of Everest. In this interview with the BBC’s Razia Iqbal, he brings together the wisdom and expertise he has gained from the expeditions that have taken him to the limits of the earth and to the limits of human endurance.

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There Is No Planet B, with Mike Berners-Lee and Matthew Taylor Jan 17, 2020

Show notes

In this episode we were joined by Mike Berners-Lee, the climate change expert and author of There Is No Planet B: A Handbook For The Make Or Break Years. He was interviewed by Matthew Taylor of the RSA in a discussion on the real, concrete steps that we can all take to reduce our contributions to climate change and the destruction of the planet.

This episode was recored on the 17th of January 2020

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Former UK Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson Discusses How He Beat Obesity, and the Long Road Ahead for Labour Jan 14, 2020

Show notes

In this episode we were joined by Tom Watson, the Deputy Leader of the UK Labour Party who only recently stood down at last year's general election. He is now the author of a new book Downsizing: How I Lost 8 Stone, Reversed My Diabetes and Regained My Health, and in this wide-ranging interview with Ros Urwin he talks about his successful battle against obesity and diabetes, what this might mean for the global obesity epidemic, and how Labour might become electable again.

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The Wonders of Nanotechnology, with Sonia Contera and Tom Whipple Jan 10, 2020

Show notes

In this episode we were joined by Sonia Contera, Professor of Biological Physics at the University of Oxford and the author of Nano Comes to Life: How Nanotechnology Is Transforming Medicine and the Future of Biology. In a wide-ranging conversation with Tom Whipple, the science editor at The Times, she explored the rapidly evolving nanotechnologies that are allowing us to manipulate the very building blocks of life, giving us radical control over our own biology.

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Fighting Back Against Big Tech, with Rana Foroohar and Ros Urwin Jan 07, 2020

Show notes

In this episode we were joined by Rana Foroohar, FT global business columnist and author of Don't Be Evil: The Case Against Big Tech, alongside Ros Urwin of the Sunday Times. According to Foroohar, Silicon Valley has lost its soul, and the tech behemoths like Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon are monetising both our data and our attention without us seeing a penny of those exorbitant profits. These companies have become rapacious monopolies with the power to corrupt our elections, co-opt all our data, and control the largest single chunk of corporate wealth — while evading all semblance of regulation and taxes. And in Foroohar's view, they must be held to account.

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Old World vs New World: The Great Wine Debate, with Oz Clarke and Jancis Robinson Jan 03, 2020

Show notes

France, Italy, Spain, Germany: these are the ancient Old World wine-growing regions of Europe, where continuity and history reign supreme. California, Australia, South Africa and Chile: these are some of the New World areas, where technology and science trump tradition. Old World wines tend to be light-bodied, with herbal, mineral and floral components. New World wines, thanks to warmer climates, are generally full-bodied, fruity and higher in alcohol. But which wines are the greater? To battle it out, Intelligence Squared brought together two of the UK’s most celebrated wine experts for this major debate. Fighting for the tradition and terroir of the Old World was Jancis Robinson, wine correspondent of the Financial Times and the first person outside the wine trade to qualify as a Master of Wine. Fighting for the modernising spirit of the New World was Oz Clarke, the last winner of the World Wine Tasting Championship, and the youngest ever British Wine Taster of the Year. The debate was chaired by Amelia Singer, TV presenter and former wine writer for Waitrose Food magazine. Plus there were questions from the audience from renowned wine experts Steven Spurrier and Hugh Johnson. Each member of the audience was given two glasses of wine, provided by Waitrose & Partner: Old World: Castello Colle Massari, Montecucco Rosso Riserva (Tuscany) New World: Saint Clair, Hawkes Bay Syrah, New Zealand (Hawke's Bay)

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Privacy in an Age of Surveillance, with James Bennet and Jamie Bartlett Dec 31, 2019

Show notes

In this episode we were joined by The New York Times' editorial page editor James Bennet, to discuss the The New York Times' fascinating new editorial project, The Privacy Project. James was interviewed on the project by tech journalist Jamie Bartlett.

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The Education of an Idealist, with Samantha Power and Helen Lewis Dec 27, 2019

Show notes

In this episode we were joined by Samantha Power, the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President Obama from 2013 to 2017 and author of a new book The Education of an Idealist. She was interviewed on her fascinating career in American diplomacy by Helen Lewis.

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