Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared ------ Human beings, we’re taught, are by nature selfish and governed by self-interest. From Hobbes’ theory about the state of nature to Richard Dawkins’ ‘selfish gene’, the roots of this belief are deeply ingrained in Western thought. But historian Rutger Bregman believes we have got human nat ... Show More
Jan 12
Julia Ioffe and Clarissa Ward on Putin, Russia and the Women Fighting For A Better Future (Part Two)
Russian-born journalist Julia Ioffe is one of America’s most influential voices on Russia-US relations, reporting on Putin’s regime for over 15 years. Her new book, Motherland – which has been longlisted for the 2025 National Book Award for Non-Fiction – tells the stories of the ... Show More
37m 28s
Jul 2021
Rutger Bregman on Human Nature and Hope
Rutger Bregman is one of Europe’s most prominent young thinkers. A historian and author, Rutger has published several books on history, philosophy, and economics. His book, History of Progress, was awarded the Belgian Liberales Prize for best nonfiction book of 2013.
In this epis ... Show More
59 m
Jan 2021
Can We Build a More Rational World?
Steven Pinker dares to believe that human beings are better off than ever before in human history. A world-renowned linguist, Pinker has dedicated his career to unveiling the ways by which we express our human nature through our language, behaviors, and beliefs. In an era often p ... Show More
1h 14m
Sep 2020
Our Social Dilemma — Thoughts on Technology, Addiction, and the Illusion of Free Will
Welcome to another edition of Roll On—my bi-monthly deep dive into (semi) current events, topics of audience interest, and of course answers to your questions. Commanding co-host duties is my hype man Adam Skolnick, an activist and veteran journalist perhaps best known as David G ... Show More
2h 25m
Nov 2020
To Be Less Polarized, We Must Humanize (with Esther Perel)
Baratunde ends Season One focused on the state of our relationships, a key pillar of how to citizen, and thus the health of our society after the most contentious election in modern history. In conversation with world-renowned relationship expert, Esther Perel, they discuss how t ... Show More
1h 4m
Dec 2021
DAWN OF EVERYTHING: The True History of Humanity
What if everything we think we know about the history of our species is wrong? That’s the provocative question at the heart of a new book by today’s guest, David Wengrow. Hailed as fascinating, brilliant, and potentially revolutionary, “The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Hu ... Show More
1h 20m