Free Thinking

Spike Jonze's new film Her depicts a writer developing a relationship with his computer operating system. Matthew Sweet and Aleks Krotoski look at what it says about the changing relationship between man and machine as the internet of things develops.

Hanif Kureishi's career has included screenplays My Beautiful Launderette, Venus, London Kills Me and The Mother.

Matthew Sweet revisits Alan Bleasdale's 1986 World War One TV series The Monocled Mutineer inspired by life of soldier Percy Toplis. He talks to Paul McGann who played the soldier in the series and academics Julian Putkowski and Richard Drayton.

As International Monetary Fund Director Christine Lagarde gives this year’s Dimbleby Lecture, Anne McElvoy asks seasoned Lagarde watchers Gillian Tett and Ngaire Woods to analyse her performance and to reflect on whether her growing personal mythology is enough to alter the reputation of the oft-criticised organisation she fronts. Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently said “how ever many entrepreneurs you think you need, it isn’t enoughâ€* to cope with the world’s challenges. But entrepreneurs are often portrayed as greedy and ruthless in films like The Wolf of Wall Street. Luke Johnson and Mariana Mazzucato consider where the truth lies. Plus Anne considers the portrayal of boxers in culture with Anna Whitwham, Lynda Nead and Steven Fowler.

Anne McElvoy on unrest in Ukraine and the state of dissent in Russia today with Boris Akunin, Masha Gessen, Marc Bennetts, Anna Shevchenko and Edward Lucas.

Christos Tsiolkas, Germaine Greer and the Aboriginal leader Pat Dodson talk about the fault-lines in Australia ancient and modern. In this special edition of Free Thinking presenter Samira Ahmed explores what lies within the Australian psyche?

American novelist Jonathan Lethem discusses the singer Pete Seeger, whose death has been announced today.

The actor Simon Russell Beale discusses playing the role of King Lear. Derek Jarman is the subject of a season at the BFI and an exhibition Pandemonium - at the Cultural Institute at King's College London. Composer Simon Fisher Turner, artist Tacita Dean, writer Jon Savage and Director of Film at the British Council Briony Hanson appraise his career. Plus New Generation Thinkers Philip Roscoe and Jonathan Healey reflect on attitudes to the deserving poor, benefits culture and the Channel 4 series Benefits Street.

Zhang Weiwei, one of China's foremost public intellectuals, talks to Rana Mitter about why China should not become a democracy. And as rising tensions between China and Japan continue to dominate headlines in East Asia, we hear from two young journalists, Mariko Oi and Haining Liu.

Matthew Sweet discusses the way we talk about suicide with Jennifer Michael Hecht, author of 'Stay - A history of suicide and the philosophies against it'. Audio only video games are on the increase. Sound designer Nick Ryan explains his approach to creating them and Naomi Alderman reflects on the sound world they create. As Culture Minister Ed Vaizey prepares to meet some of Britain's leading black actors to discuss what is preventing them being given more tv and stage roles we hear the views of actress Adjoa Andoh. Writers Adam Gopnik and Louise Doughty discuss attitudes to Romani people in France and the UK.