Intelligence Squared

Latest Episodes:

Blazing Ambition: the Life of Margaret Cavendish Jan 03, 2024

Show notes

Born near Colchester, England in 1623, Margaret Cavendish was a writer blazing a trail for women during a time when the world was dominated by men. Her writing ranges from philosophy to poetry, plays and also includes what is now considered to be a proto-science fiction novel, The Blazing World. So why do we rarely hear her name today? Looking to put that right is journalist and now author Francesca Peacock. Her recent book, Pure Wit: The Revolutionary Life of Margaret Cavendish, aims to tell the world more about the life and history of one of the UK’s boldest writers. Joining Peacock to talk about the book is the historian, writer and podcaster, Helen Carr, who specialises in medieval history and is the author of the best-selling book, The Red Prince.

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Debate: Free Will is an Illusion Jan 01, 2024

Show notes

We’re all making life choices at this time of year – perhaps a few new years' resolutions are in the mix – either way, you’ll have a stake in a tussle of big ideas as we debate the motion: Free Will is an Illusion. Our host for this episode is the writer, philosopher and podcaster Nigel Warburton, who is co-host of the popular Philosophy Bites podcast and author of books including A Little History of Philosophy, The Art Question, and Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction. Joining Warburton to debate the motion is psychologist, author and lecturer Susan Blackmore, who is Visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth, and Kevin Mitchell, Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin.

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Best of 2023: James Comey, Armando Iannucci and Bach vs Beethoven Dec 31, 2023

Show notes

In the fourth and final part of our staff picks episodes the Intelligence Squared team continue their look back across 2023 to pick their favourite moments from all of the podcasts we've produced over the past 12 months. Intelligence Squared CEO Matt McAllester joins Executive Producer Hannah Kaye for this instalment to select their highlights. Matt is going for James Comey and Armando Iannucci, who appeared live onstage together at London's Union Chapel in summer 2023. Hannah selects Bach vs Beethoven: The Battle of the Great Composers, in which celebrated cellist Steven Isserlis was joined onstage at Cadogan Hall in London alongside music writer and critic Norman Lebrecht to debate two giants of classical music.

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Robert Peston on How to Save Democracy Dec 29, 2023

Show notes

In the second part of our special Christmas episode in association Tortoise, Intelligence Squared welcomes Robert Peston to the Tabernacle Theatre in London to speak with Tortoise editor and co-founder James Harding about the new book from Peston and journalist Kishan Koria, Bust?: Saving the Economy, Democracy and Our Sanity. The book not only analyses how the UK has found itself in a position of having to put up with broken politics, divisive rhetoric and a shaky economic outlook, but also looks to point the way out of this current era defined by turbulence and populism.

To listen to more episodes of The News Meeting and other Tortoise news podcasts just click here.

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Best of 2023: David Baddiel and Succession VS The White Lotus Dec 28, 2023

Show notes

The Intelligence Squared team look back across 2023 in the third of our staff picks episodes. Senior Producer Tom Hall joins Associate Producer Layla Ishmail to select their highlights. Layla's pick is comedian and writer David Baddiel, who appeared onstage earlier in 2023 to discuss his book The God Desire along with religious scholar Ben Quash and fellow comedian, actor and broadcaster Richard Ayoade. Tom's choice is the VS podcast from Intelligence Squared, which put the TV shows Succession and the White Lotus against each other backed by the opinions of guests comedian Ania Magliano and journalist, crime podcaster and screenwriter Poppy Damon.

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Best of 2023: Bernie Sanders and Russell Kane Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

The Intelligence Squared team continue their look back across 2023 to pick their favourite moments from all of the podcasts we've produced over the past 12 months. Technical Operations Manager Mark Roberts joins Senior Producer Conor Boyle to select their highlights. Mark is going for comedian Russell Kane, who appeared on Intelligence Squared's How I Found My Voice podcast. While Conor replays US politician Bernie Sanders, who appeared on the Intelligence Squared podcast in March 2023.

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Best of 2023: Jude Law, Christina Lamb and Simon Reeve Dec 25, 2023

Show notes

The Intelligence Squared team look back across 2023 to pick their favourite moments from all of the podcasts we've produced over the past 12 months. First up are producers Feyi Adegbite and Bella Soames. Bella discusses how she brought together the documentary maker and adventurer Simon Reeve along with war reporter Chistina Lamb and journalist Kamal Ahmed to discuss the concept of risk. Feyi picks our deep-dive interview with acclaimed actor Jude Law, who appeared on the How I Found My Voice podcast made by Intelligence Squared.

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Holiday Reads: Michael Lewis, Victoria Smith and Ravinder Bhogal Dec 24, 2023

Show notes

For the third and final instalment of Intelligence Squared's Holiday Reads selection looking back at some of the best books of the year, Conor Boyle and Feyi Adegbite revisit conversations with authors including Michael Lewis, whose book, Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, tells the story of crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman Fried. We also listen back to a discussion between The Sunday Times' Hadley Freeman and writer Victoria Smith, whose book, Hags: The Demonisation of Middle-Aged Women, confronts misogyny and ageism. Plus, Ravinder Bhogal, the restaurateur and writer behind Jikoni, a restaurant blending Asian, African and Middle Eastern food, discusses her book about Comfort and Joy.

You can also find all of their books and a few more in Intelligence Squared’s Twelve Books of Christmas list.

https://www.intelligencesquared.com/the-blog/?p=the-twelve-books-of-christmas

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What was the Biggest Story of 2023? With James Harding, Robert Peston and The News Meeting Dec 22, 2023

Show notes

In this special Christmas episode in association Tortoise, Intelligence Squared welcomes the team from Tortoise Media's The News Meeting podcast to a live recording of the show at London's Tabernacle theatre, hosted by Tortoise editor and co-founder James Harding. Joining Harding and the team onstage to discuss the biggest stories of the year was ITV's political editor Robert Peston, co-author of new book Bust?: Saving the Economy, Democracy and Our Sanity.

To listen to more episodes of The News Meeting and other Tortoise news podcasts just click here

...

Intelligence Squared members can access an extended versions of all of our long-form interviews and members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

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To listen to more episodes of The News Meeting and other Tortoise news podcasts click here

...

Intelligence Squared members can access an extended versions of all of our long-form interviews and members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

For £4.99 per month you'll also receive:

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Nick Cave on Faith, Hope and Carnage Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

As leader of the Bad Seeds, musician Nick Cave is well known for his dark take on the songwriting craft but in recent years the performer and author has also become a distinct voice reflecting on how we deal with the process of grief. Cave’s most recent book is Faith, Hope, and Carnage, a collection of writing formed from conversations between the singer and the Irish journalist and critic Seán O’Hagan. The book touches on the musician’s evolution as an artist and also some of the tragic events that have informed his recent work. Cave’s son Arthur died In 2015. In this discussion, recorded at St Martin-in-the-Fields church in London, Cave and O’Hagan explore the power of conversation as a necessary outlet for processing both creative ideas and deeply personal perspectives.

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Intelligence Squared members can access an extended version of Cave and O'Hagan's discussion, plus all of our longer form interviews and members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

For £4.99 per month you'll also receive:

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