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Past Present Future is a bi-weekly History of Ideas podcast with David Runciman, host and creator of Talking Politics, exploring the history of ideas from politics to philosophy, culture to technology. David talks to historians, novelists, scientists and many others about where the most interesting ideas come from, what they mean, and why they matter.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ History of ideas • Political trials • Philosophy • Revolutionary ideas • Globalization • Bad ideas • Conversational interviews • Cultural analysis • Historical figures • Economics • Law and politics"Past Present Future" is a bi-weekly podcast that delves into the history of ideas, exploring their origins, implications, and significance across various domains such as politics, philosophy, culture, and technology. Hosted by David Runciman, the podcast features engaging discussions with historians, novelists, scientists, and other experts to uncover compelling and thought-provoking insights.
The episodes cover a broad spectrum of themes, with a significant focus on historical political trials, revolutionary ideas, globalization, and the intersection of historical events with contemporary issues. A recurring theme is the exploration of notable political trials through history, where figures such as Socrates, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles I, and Louis XVI are scrutinized, providing listeners with an understanding of how these events shaped historical and modern political landscapes. These episodes often question the intertwining of politics, law, and society, highlighting recurring motifs of power struggles, justice, and social change.
Additionally, the podcast examines revolutionary ideas and their transformative impact on societies, ranging from Darwin's theory of natural selection to Marx's vision of socialism, and even more esoteric subjects like the Bayesian revolution in probability theory. The discussions frequently connect past revolutions—both political and intellectual—with their lasting influences on present-day cultural and political thought.
Further, the podcast ventures into the history of globalization, reflecting on events like trade wars and economic policies, drawing parallels to contemporary issues such as those associated with Donald Trump's America. The host often addresses the broader implications of historical events and ideas on modern society, making connections between past and present challenges. Throughout, "Past Present Future" aims to provide its audience with a deeper understanding of the complex tapestry of ideas that have shaped human history and continue to influence the future.
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Indignity w/Lea Ypi 2025-Sep-10 66 minutes |
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Dignity and Indignity w/Lea Ypi 2025-Sep-07 59 minutes |
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PPF+: More of What You’ve Been Missing! 2025-Sep-03 61 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Hitler vs Weimar 2025-Aug-31 65 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Easter Rising 1916 w/Fintan O’Toole 2025-Aug-28 59 minutes |
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PPF+: A Taste of What You've Been Missing! 2025-Aug-24 55 minutes |
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Politics on Trial 100th Anniversary Special: Franz Kafka’s The Trial 2025-Aug-21 59 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Dreyfus vs the Conspiracy Theory 2025-Aug-17 66 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Oscar Wilde vs the Philistines 2025-Aug-14 63 minutes |
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Now & Then with Robert Saunders: Whatever Happened to Unemployment? 2025-Aug-10 64 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Charles Parnell vs the English 2025-Aug-07 58 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: The Haymarket Eight vs the Police 2025-Aug-03 57 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: John Brown vs Slavery 2025-Jul-31 58 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Aaron Burr vs the Constitution 2025-Jul-27 55 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Louis XVI vs the People 2025-Jul-24 59 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Warren Hastings vs the British Empire 2025-Jul-20 63 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Identity 2025-Jul-17 61 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Behaviourism 2025-Jul-13 64 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Polycrisis 2025-Jul-10 59 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Value-Free Tech 2025-Jul-06 61 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Monopoly 2025-Jul-03 57 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Meritocracy 2025-Jun-29 61 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Charisma 2025-Jun-26 59 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: The Decisive Battle 2025-Jun-22 60 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Genius 2025-Jun-19 56 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Austerity 2025-Jun-15 58 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Charles I vs Parliament 2025-Jun-12 62 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Galileo vs the Inquisition 2025-Jun-08 64 minutes |
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50th Anniversary Special: The 1975 European Referendum w/Robert Saunders 2025-Jun-05 60 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Mary Queen of Scots vs the Secret State 2025-Jun-01 54 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Thomas More vs the King 2025-May-29 57 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Joan of Arc vs the Church 2025-May-25 60 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: Socrates vs Democracy 2025-May-22 53 minutes |
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Politics on Trial: A History of Lawfare 2025-May-18 51 minutes |
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Ideas of Globalisation: What’s Gone Wrong? w/Dani Rodrik 2025-May-15 53 minutes |
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Ideas of Globalisation: The Crisis of the 1970s (and Trump!) 2025-May-11 63 minutes |
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Ideas of Globalisation: Central Banks vs the People (and Trump!) 2025-May-08 55 minutes |
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Ideas of Globalisation: Hoover and Smoot-Hawley (and Trump!) 2025-May-04 61 minutes |
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Ideas of Globalisation: Chamberlain and the Tariff Wars (and Trump!) 2025-May-01 57 minutes |
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Ideas of Globalisation: Trade, Race and Empire (and Trump!) 2025-Apr-27 59 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Lenin and Trotsky 2025-Apr-24 55 minutes |
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PPF Live Special: Churchill – The Politician With Nine Lives w/Robert Saunders 2025-Apr-20 62 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Rite of Spring w/Dominic Dromgoole 2025-Apr-17 45 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Ubu Roi w/Dominic Dromgoole 2025-Apr-15 45 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Salon Des Refusés w/Dominic Dromgoole 2025-Apr-13 41 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Marx and the Paris Commune 2025-Apr-10 55 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Free Speech 2025-Apr-06 62 minutes |
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PPF Live Film Special: Network w/Helen Lewis 2025-Apr-03 65 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Darwin w/Adam Rutherford 2025-Mar-30 53 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Taiping Revolution 2025-Mar-27 65 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: 1848: The Radical Revolution w/Chris Clark 2025-Mar-23 52 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: 1848: The Liberal Revolution w/Chris Clark 2025-Mar-20 55 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Bayesian Revolution w/David Spiegelhalter 2025-Mar-16 60 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Slave Uprising: The Haitian Revolution 2025-Mar-13 57 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: French Revolution 3: Paine 2025-Mar-09 58 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: French Revolution 2: Robespierre 2025-Mar-06 53 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: French Revolution 1: Sieyès 2025-Mar-02 57 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: American Revolution 2: The Constitution 2025-Feb-27 63 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: American Revolution 1: The Declaration of Independence 2025-Feb-23 60 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Industrial Revolution 2025-Feb-20 53 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: English Revolution 2: 1688 2025-Feb-16 56 minutes |
The History of Revolutionary Ideas: English Revolution 1: Civil War2025-Feb-13 56 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Scientific Revolution 2025-Feb-09 65 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Reformation (part 1): Luther 2025-Feb-06 56 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Humanism 2025-Feb-02 59 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Magna Carta 2025-Jan-30 66 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Islam 2025-Jan-26 62 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Christianity w/Tom Holland 2025-Jan-23 56 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Socrates w/Agnes Callard 2025-Jan-19 53 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: What Makes a Revolutionary Idea? 2025-Jan-16 54 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: The Zone of Interest 2025-Jan-12 57 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Zero Dark Thirty 2025-Jan-09 60 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: The Social Network 2025-Jan-05 55 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: There Will Be Blood 2025-Jan-02 53 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Fight Club w/ Helen Lewis 2024-Dec-29 57 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Do The Right Thing 2024-Dec-26 50 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Kagemusha 2024-Dec-22 53 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Jeanne Dielman 2024-Dec-19 53 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: The Candidate w/Chris Smith 2024-Dec-15 57 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Z 2024-Dec-12 59 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Televised Leadership Debates 2024-Dec-08 58 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Party Members Choosing Leaders 2024-Dec-05 55 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Steady State Theory 2024-Dec-01 59 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: The End of History 2024-Nov-28 56 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Modernisation! 2024-Nov-24 57 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: The Marketplace of Ideas 2024-Nov-21 60 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Nobel Prizes 2024-Nov-17 55 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: The Silent Majority 2024-Nov-14 57 minutes |
American Elections: 2024: The Meaning of Trump’s Triumph2024-Nov-09 83 minutes |
The Great Political Films: The Battle of Algiers2024-Nov-07 56 minutes |
The Great Political Films: Dr Strangelove & Fail Safe w/ Jill Lepore2024-Nov-03 53 minutes |
The Great Political Films: The Leopard w/ Lucia Rubinelli2024-Oct-31 56 minutes |
The Great Political Films: The Manchurian Candidate2024-Oct-27 62 minutes |
The Great Political Films: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp2024-Oct-24 53 minutes |
The Great Political Films: Citizen Kane2024-Oct-20 55 minutes |
The Great Political Films: Mr Smith Goes to Washington2024-Oct-17 55 minutes |
The Great Political Films: La Grande Illusion2024-Oct-13 53 minutes |
Michael Lewis on Sam Bankman-Fried and Effective Altruism2024-Oct-10 59 minutes |
American Elections: 2024: Is Anyone Winning?2024-Oct-06 58 minutes |
Thinking About Thinking Machines: Monk & Robot2024-Oct-03 59 minutes |
Thinking About Thinking Machines: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?2024-Sep-29 58 minutes |
Thinking About Thinking Machines: Isaac Asimov’s ‘Franchise’2024-Sep-26 56 minutes |
Thinking About Thinking Machines: Metropolis2024-Sep-22 55 minutes |
What if… Scotland Had Voted for Independence?2024-Sep-19 60 minutes |
What if… The Berlin Wall Hadn’t Fallen?2024-Sep-15 56 minutes |
What if… The 1919 Paris Peace Conference Had Actually Kept the Peace?2024-Sep-12 58 minutes |
What If… The Russian Revolution Hadn’t Been Bolshevik?2024-Sep-08 58 minutes |
What If… Franz Ferdinand Had Survived Sarajevo?2024-Sep-05 54 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Hamilton2024-Sep-01 57 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: American Wife2024-Aug-31 56 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: The Line of Beauty2024-Aug-30 54 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: The Handmaid’s Tale2024-Aug-29 54 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Midnight’s Children2024-Aug-28 55 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Atlas Shrugged2024-Aug-27 60 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Mother Courage & Her Children2024-Aug-26 55 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: The Time Machine2024-Aug-25 57 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde2024-Aug-24 52 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Phineas Redux2024-Aug-23 55 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Middlemarch Part 22024-Aug-22 52 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Middlemarch Part 12024-Aug-22 51 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Fathers and Sons2024-Aug-21 55 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Mary Stuart2024-Aug-20 56 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Gulliver’s Travels2024-Aug-19 56 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Coriolanus2024-Aug-18 58 minutes |
What If… The Vietnam War Had Ended in 1964?2024-Aug-18 59 minutes |
What If… Wallace not Truman Had Become US President in 1945?2024-Aug-15 61 minutes |
What If… The French Revolution Had Happened in China?2024-Aug-11 55 minutes |
What If… Science Counterfactuals w/ Adam Rutherford2024-Aug-08 59 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Tim Rice on Evita2024-Aug-04 51 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Helen Lewis on To Kill A Mockingbird2024-Aug-01 62 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Lea Ypi on The Wild Duck2024-Jul-28 61 minutes |
The Great Political Poems2024-Jul-25 56 minutes |
American Elections: The Republican Convention2024-Jul-21 62 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Hamilton2024-Jul-18 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: American Wife2024-Jul-14 56 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: The Line of Beauty2024-Jul-11 56 minutes |
UK General Elections: 20242024-Jul-06 57 minutes |
UK General Elections: 20192024-Jul-04 56 minutes |
UK General Elections: 19972024-Jul-03 58 minutes |
UK General Elections: 19792024-Jun-30 62 minutes |
UK General Elections: 19452024-Jun-27 58 minutes |
UK General Elections: 19062024-Jun-23 56 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: The Handmaid’s Tale2024-Jun-20 55 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Midnight’s Children2024-Jun-16 56 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Atlas Shrugged2024-Jun-13 61 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Mother Courage and Her Children2024-Jun-09 56 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: The Time Machine2024-Jun-06 58 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde2024-Jun-02 53 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Phineas Redux2024-May-30 56 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Middlemarch (part 2)2024-May-26 53 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Middlemarch (part 1)2024-May-23 54 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Mesmerism2024-May-19 55 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: The Death of the Author2024-May-16 51 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Anti-Suffragettes2024-May-12 56 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Taxonomy2024-May-09 49 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Antisemitism2024-May-05 52 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Facebook Friends2024-May-02 52 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: The Gold Standard2024-Apr-28 47 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Eugenics2024-Apr-25 57 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Liberation Movements2024-Apr-21 58 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Existentialism and Psychoanalysis2024-Apr-18 53 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Anarchism and Nihilism2024-Apr-14 52 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: What is the Free Market?2024-Apr-11 52 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Kant, Enlightenment and Peace2024-Apr-07 56 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/ Lea Ypi: Machiavelli and Political Liberty2024-Apr-04 52 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: The Ancients - Socrates, Seneca & Jesus2024-Mar-31 56 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Why Does It Matter?2024-Mar-28 58 minutes |
Introducing PPF+2024-Mar-27 3 minutes |
American Elections: 20082024-Mar-24 59 minutes |
American Elections: 19802024-Mar-21 51 minutes |
American Elections: 19362024-Mar-17 50 minutes |
American Elections: 19122024-Mar-14 48 minutes |
American Elections: 18962024-Mar-10 54 minutes |
American Elections: 18602024-Mar-07 60 minutes |
American Elections: 18282024-Mar-03 53 minutes |
American Elections: 18002024-Feb-29 57 minutes |
Q & A: Shakespeare, Gulliver and Trump2024-Feb-25 45 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Fathers and Sons2024-Feb-22 56 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Mary Stuart2024-Feb-15 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Gulliver’s Travels2024-Feb-08 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Coriolanus2024-Feb-01 60 minutes |
The End of Enlightenment2024-Jan-25 60 minutes |
Rory Stewart: What Does it Mean to be a 21st-Century Tory?2024-Jan-18 50 minutes |
The End of the UK?2024-Jan-11 61 minutes |
History of Ideas 12: Ta-Nehisi Coates2024-Jan-05 54 minutes |
History of Ideas 11: Umberto Eco2024-Jan-04 49 minutes |
History of Ideas 10: David Foster Wallace2024-Jan-03 54 minutes |
History of Ideas 9: Joan Didion2024-Jan-02 52 minutes |
History of Ideas 8: Susan Sontag2024-Jan-01 55 minutes |
History of Ideas 7: James Baldwin2023-Dec-31 51 minutes |
History of Ideas 6: Simone Weil2023-Dec-30 53 minutes |
History of Ideas 5: George Orwell2023-Dec-29 53 minutes |
History of Ideas 4: Virginia Woolf2023-Dec-28 52 minutes |
History of Ideas 3: Thoreau2023-Dec-27 56 minutes |
History of Ideas 2: Hume2023-Dec-26 60 minutes |
History of Ideas 1: Montaigne2023-Dec-25 52 minutes |
History of Ideas Q&A2023-Dec-21 53 minutes |
The Art of the Essay2023-Dec-14 53 minutes |
Something’s Got to Give2023-Dec-07 58 minutes |
Democracy Q&A w/ Lea Ypi2023-Nov-30 59 minutes |
History of Ideas: Ta-Nehisi Coates2023-Nov-23 55 minutes |
Democracy vs Nationalism w/ Lea Ypi2023-Nov-16 54 minutes |
Jill Lepore on Trump, Guns and the Red Mirage2023-Nov-09 55 minutes |
The Leviacene: Defining Our Times2023-Nov-02 55 minutes |
History of Ideas: Umberto Eco2023-Oct-26 50 minutes |
Rethinking Democracy w/ Lea Ypi2023-Oct-19 54 minutes |
Mary Beard on Caesar, Augustus & Zuckerberg2023-Oct-12 52 minutes |
Zadie Smith on Dickens, Hypocrisy & Justice2023-Oct-05 49 minutes |
History of Ideas: David Foster Wallace2023-Sep-28 55 minutes |
Animal Farm and Other Allegories2023-Sep-21 52 minutes |
The Other 9/11: Chile & Allende2023-Sep-14 65 minutes |
The Handover2023-Sep-07 54 minutes |
The Great Essays: Q & A2023-Sep-03 56 minutes |
History of Ideas: Joan Didion2023-Aug-31 54 minutes |
History of Ideas: Susan Sontag2023-Aug-24 57 minutes |
History of Ideas: James Baldwin2023-Aug-17 53 minutes |
History of Ideas: Simone Weil2023-Aug-10 55 minutes |
History of Ideas: George Orwell2023-Aug-03 54 minutes |
History of Ideas: Virginia Woolf2023-Jul-27 54 minutes |
From Lincoln to Trump: What Happened to the Republican Party?2023-Jul-20 60 minutes |
History of Ideas: Thoreau2023-Jul-13 58 minutes |
Whose Space is it Anyway?2023-Jul-06 54 minutes |
Why J.S. Mill Matters w/ Tara Westover2023-Jun-29 62 minutes |
Are There Too Many People?2023-Jun-22 59 minutes |
History of Ideas: Hume2023-Jun-15 61 minutes |
Rawls, Capitalism & Justice2023-Jun-08 60 minutes |
Live Special: The American Century w/ David Miliband2023-Jun-01 56 minutes |
AI: Can the Machines Really Think?2023-May-25 54 minutes |
History of Ideas: Montaigne2023-May-18 54 minutes |
Living Behind the Iron Curtain2023-May-11 56 minutes |
How Dallas Saw the Future2023-May-04 53 minutes |
The Novel that Unravels Democracy2023-Apr-27 55 minutes |
Introducing Past Present Future2023-Apr-12 4 minutes |