1,193 episodes

Intelligence Squared is the home of lively debate and deep-dive discussion. Follow Intelligence Squared wherever you get your podcasts and enjoy four regular episodes per week taking you to the heart of the issues that matter in the company of the world’s great minds. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. 

And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. 

Intelligence Squared Intelligence Squared

    • Society & Culture
    • 3.8 • 28 Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

Intelligence Squared is the home of lively debate and deep-dive discussion. Follow Intelligence Squared wherever you get your podcasts and enjoy four regular episodes per week taking you to the heart of the issues that matter in the company of the world’s great minds. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. 

And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. 

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    The Great London Novel, with Andrew O'Hagan

    The Great London Novel, with Andrew O'Hagan

    Andrew O’Hagan has written seven novels, three non-fiction books, a play and many standout journalism pieces on topics ranging from the origins of cryptocurrency to the story of the Grenfell Tower fire. The Booker Prize-nominated novelist's 2020 book Mayflies was adapted for television by the BBC. His latest is an expansive tale of London titled Caledonian Road, named after the thoroughfare that threads through the north of the city. Joining O'Hagan in conversation for this episode is the writer and reviewer Susie Mesure, whose work is often seen in The Sunday Times, The ipaper, Prospect, The Financial Times and more.
    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit.
    Want to attend Intelligence Squared live events? Explore our upcoming line up of talks below:
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    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to 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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    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
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    ...
    Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    ...
    Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more
    ...
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    • 53 min
    The F Word: Re-evaluating Society's Approach to Body Image, with Kate Manne

    The F Word: Re-evaluating Society's Approach to Body Image, with Kate Manne

    In her latest book, writer and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Cornell University, Kate Manne, turns her analytical lens towards prejudice and discrimination against larger bodied people, which she says is on the rise. In Unshrinking: How to Fight Fatphobia, Manne blends the political and the personal to explore what it would require to build a world that views and treats all people as equal, regardless of their body shape. Joining Manne in conversation for this episode is Sophie McBain, contributing editor at New Statesman magazine, who also writes about books and ideas for The Guardian and The Sunday Times.
    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit.
    Want to attend Intelligence Squared live events? Explore our upcoming line up of talks below:
    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/attend/
    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to 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:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events
    - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox
    ...
    Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    ...
    Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more
    ...
    Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events and discounts.
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    • 49 min
    Unlocking the Power of Memory, with Charan Ranganath

    Unlocking the Power of Memory, with Charan Ranganath

    Charan Ranganath is the Director of the Memory and Plasticity Program and a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of California at Davis. His new book, Why We Remember: The Science of Memory and How it Shapes Us, is a radical exploration of human engagement with memory, asking new questions about imagination, intention, attention and emotion. Joining Ranganath to discuss it is Alex Wilkins, reporter for New Scientist.
    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit.
    Want to attend Intelligence Squared live events? Explore our upcoming line up of talks below:
    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/attend/
    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to 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:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events
    - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox
    ...
    Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    ...
    Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more
    ...
    Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events and discounts.
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    • 33 min
    Going Nuclear: Could a Catastrophic Conflict Take Place? with Annie Jacobsen

    Going Nuclear: Could a Catastrophic Conflict Take Place? with Annie Jacobsen

    Annie Jacobsen is an investigative journalist and author whose books probe the periphery of what we know about state warcraft and read like unputdownable thrillers. As a result, a her Pulitzer-nominated work can be found in both journalistic pieces and fiction including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan tv show. Previous books have covered topics ranging from the CIA to Area 51 and the Second World War. Her latest book is Nuclear War, A Scenario, detailing how a nuclear conflict might unfold sourced from her deep-dive reporting. For this episode, she joins Josh Glancy, editor of the News Review at The Sunday Times, to talk about it.
    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit.
    Want to attend Intelligence Squared live events? Explore our upcoming line up of talks below:
    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/attend/
    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to 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:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events
    - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox
    ...
    Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    ...
    Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more
    ...
    Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events and discounts.
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    • 44 min
    Finding the Story within Ordinary Human Failings, with Megan Nolan

    Finding the Story within Ordinary Human Failings, with Megan Nolan

    Megan Nolan is an Irish journalist and author who has made a name for herself by cutting to the quick of the most uncomfortable facets of the human experience. She first appeared on Intelligence Squared to discuss her widely acclaimed debut, Acts of Desperation, back in 2022 and she returns now with her latest novel, Ordinary Human Failings, which follows a family and a tabloid journalist embroiled in a harrowing murder, which was recently selected for the Women’s Fiction Prize longlist. In this episode Nolan discusses her recent rise to fame, the nuances involved in depicting intergenerational trauma and her plans for future writing with fellow writer and critic Holly Williams, whose own latest novel is The Start of Something.
    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/is for £100 sponsored credit.
    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to 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:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events
    - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox
    ...
    Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    ...
    Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more
    ...
    Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more.
    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/
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    • 41 min
    Why We Need to Slow Down to Save the Planet, with Kohei Saito

    Why We Need to Slow Down to Save the Planet, with Kohei Saito

    Kohei Saito is the Japanese philosopher and associate professor of philosophy at the University of Tokyo, whose ideas have become highly influential in the conversation surrounding how to better use economics to combat the looming climate crisis. His book, Slow Down, is a bestseller. Joining him to discuss Slow Down on the podcast for this episode is Adam McCauley, the writer and researcher whose work focuses on the social, cultural, and political impacts of emerging technologies. He is currently writing a book on artificial intelligence, military and political decision-making, and the future of conflict. McCauley also writes a regular newsletter, The View From Here.
    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to 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:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events
    - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox
    ...
    Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
    - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts
    - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
    ...
    Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access.
    ...
    Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more.
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    • 57 min

Customer Reviews

3.8 out of 5
28 Ratings

28 Ratings

maerkelig ,

Audio quality

The content is typically of a very high quality, however this is often frustrated by the poor quality of the audio. Speakers frequently are not close to, or talking into, a microphone.

Solas60 ,

Objective and informative

At a time when all media is selling you something it is inspiring to listen to real objective and informative debate. Entertaining and challenging cant recommend this high enough , they are must listen to podcasts especially while out walking

Bue_Sird ,

Amazing Intelligent Content

This is a fantastic podcast if you want a wide angle lens of the major forces and trends shaping our world. A wide range of exciting topics and world renowned speakers. I really enjoy listening to the weekly episodes on Friday’s.

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