In the final podcast of this series, presented by Bristol Festival of Ideas and sponsored by the Philosopher's Magazine, George Miller looks back at some of the highlights of the 2008 Bristol Festival of Ideas. 

Alan Weisman looks to the future to discover what the world might be like, and how it would change if humans disappeared right now for good. In the current age of anxiety over our impact on the earth's climate and environment, he offers an intriguing glimpse of what the real legacy of our time on the planet may be. 

New York University psychologist Gary Marcus argues that the mind is not an elegantly designed organ but a 'kluge', a clumsy, cobbled-together contraption. He unveils a fundamentally new way of looking at the human mind, arguing against a whole tradition that praises our human minds as the most perfect result of evolution.

Andrew Kelly, Director of the Bristol Festival of Ideas talks about some of this year's events and looks forward to 2009.

Audio compilation - Alan Weisman, Gary Marcus and Andrew Kelly (October 2008)

Established in 2005, the Bristol Festival of Ideas aims to stimulate minds and passions with an inspiring programme of discussion and debate throughout the year. The festival welcomes to Bristol, among others, scientists, artists, politicians, journalists, historians, musicians, novelists and commentators on all subjects. 

Each year, we audio record interviews and lectures with selected speakers from our annual programme. Highlights of our programme are featured here as a series of audio recordings. 

More interviews and lectures can be found on our website at: www.ideasfestival.co.uk.

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Stewart Brand is one of the great visionaries of our time. His latest book, 'Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto', argues that ‘Being Green’ is no longer enough. Three profound transformations are underway on Earth: climate change, urbanisation and biotechnology. Unless environmentalists keep up with new science, and embrace tools and disciplines that they have traditionally distrusted - such as science and engineering - in order to forestall the cataclysmic deterioration of the earth’s resources, they will become part of the problem. 

Brand shatters a number of environmental myths and argues that cities are greener than the countryside, nuclear power is the future of energy, and genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. Through scientific rigor and blazing advocacy, Brand offers a bold and creative set of policies and solutions for producing a more sustainable society. 

He is in discussion with Brian Eno, musician and composer, cultural critic and writer who has a long-standing interest and involvement in new thinking about politics and the future.

Lecture - Stewart Brand and Brian Eno, 'The Future of Environmentalism' (18 January 2010)

The 'New York Times' calls Barbara Ehrenreich “our premier reporter of the underside of Capitalism”. Recent books have seen her go undercover to find a job in America’s corporate sector and work in low-wage America, busting the myth of the American dream. She now looks at positive thinking – formerly a marginal 19th century healing technique, which is now seen as the key to success and prosperity. 

Ehrenreich exposes the downside of the science of happiness which leads to self-blame, a morbid preoccupation with stamping out ‘negative’ thoughts and, on a national level, created an era of irrational optimism. Ehrenreich attacks conventional wisdom and faux science, and calls for clarity and courage.

This podcast is 27 minutes long (50MB). If you would like to hear more lectures from the 2010 Festival, please visit our website at: www.ideasfestival.co.uk.

Lecture - Barbara Ehrenreich, 'Smile or Die: How Positive Thinking Undermines Us All' (12 January 2010)

George Miller interviews Margaret Atwood for the Bristol Festival of Ideas just before her event at St George's Bristol on 9 September 2009 to mark the launch of her new book 'The Year of the Flood'. The event, attended by nearly 600 people, featured an exciting performance with actors and a choir, followed by an on-stage interview with Margaret herself.  

This podcast is 12 minutes long (11MB). If you would like to hear more interviews with selected speakers from this year's festival, please visit our website at: www.ideasfestival.co.uk.

Presented by Bristol Festival of Ideas (www.ideasfestival.co.uk), in association with St George's Bristol. (www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk). Interview by George Miller (http://podularity.com).

Interview - Margaret Atwood, 'The Year of the Flood' (9 September 2009)

In this final podcast from summer 2009, presented by Bristol Festival of Ideas, George Miller looks back at some of the highlights of the 2009 May Festival.

Award-winning writer, Times columnist and broadcaster David Aaronovitch discusses conspiracy theories in connection with his new book: 'Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History'; Helen Bamber talks about her long experience of human rights campaigning; and leading novelist and playwright Michael Frayn ponders our ideas and the world around us. 

This podcast is 30 minutes long (27MB), and is the final recording in our summer podcast series for 2009. If you would like to hear more interviews with selected speakers from this year's festival, please visit our website at: www.ideasfestival.co.uk.

Presented by Bristol Festival of Ideas (www.ideasfestival.co.uk), in association with The Philosopher's Magazine (www.philosophersnet.com). Interviews by George Miller (http://podularity.com).

Audio compilation - David Aaronovitch, Helen Bamber and Michael Frayn (September 2009)

In this second podcast from summer 2009, presented by Bristol Festival of Ideas, George Miller looks back at some of the highlights of the 2009 May Festival.

Internationally renowned philosopher and author, Peter Singer, discusses the moral implications of greed and poverty in connection with his new book: The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty'; historian Richard Holmes talks about 'The Age of Wonder' and romantic science; and scientist Freeman Dyson looks at the challenges and opportunities of the time in which we live. 

This podcast is 30 minutes long (27MB), and is the second recording in our summer podcast series for 2009. If you would like to hear more interviews with selected speakers from this year's festival, please visit our website at: www.ideasfestival.co.uk.

Presented by Bristol Festival of Ideas (www.ideasfestival.co.uk). Interviews by George Miller (http://podularity.com).

Audio compilation - Alan Weisman, Gary Marcus and Andrew Kelly (October 2008)

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