Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared

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Intelligence Squared episodes

  • How Tech Platforms Threaten Our Future, With Former White House Advisor Tim Wu (Part One)

    Tim Wu, is one of America’s leading thinkers on technology, power, and the history of monopoly powers. A Columbia Law School professor and former special assistant to President Joe Biden for technology and competition policy, Wu is best known for coining the term “net neutrality” and for his influential work in books like The Attention Merchants and The Curse of Bigness which explore the balance between innovation, corporate concentration, and the public good.

    On November 18, Wu came to Intelligence Squared to reveal the dangers of the new AI economy. Drawing from his new book The Age of Extraction he discussed why in the AI economy tech companies will amass unprecedented power and argued that breaking up tech monopolies is ultimately the only solution to unleash creativity and growth for the rest of society. He also discussed the history of monopoly power and offer a blueprint for an alternative AI future which would allow tech platforms to still play a major role in creating and sustaining an economic model of prosperity for everyone.

    ---

    This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our 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 

    ... 

    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

    …

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    …

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    36 min
  • How Philosophy Explains Our World, with Julian Baggini (Part Two)

    ---

    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our 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 

    ... 

    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.

    …

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    36 min
  • How Philosophy Explains Our World, with Julian Baggini (Part One)

    What would Aristotle make of Keir Starmer? Would Plato be a Republican? And what can philosophy teach us about modern world?

    In October 2025 philosopher Julian Baggini came to Intelligence Squared to help us understand the world of politics through philosophy. He set out why ‘polarisation’ need not be a dirty word, what differentiates conspiracy theorists from skeptics, and how to apply precepts such as: follow the facts, be humble and think for yourself but not by yourself.

    ---

    This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our 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 

    ... 

    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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    39 min
  • Michael Rosen on Hope, Happiness and Finding Joy in the Small Things (Part Two)

    Michael Rosen has known – and given – great joy in his life. And he has suffered immense sorrow. 

    Rosen is an author, poet and former children’s laureate, much-loved for his playful humour. He has written over 200 books, including the modern children’s classic, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. In recent years, he has become an eloquent voice on grief and sadness, and how we deal with it. His powerful writing about the death of his son and his near-lethal battle with Covid became Getting Through It, an acclaimed one-man show exploring love, loss and mortality. In 2023 he was awarded the PEN Pinter prize for what judges called a ‘fearless’ body of work that provides a ‘lesson in humanity.’

    In September 2025, he came to the Intelligence Squared stage to introduce his new book, Good Days: An A-Z of Hope and Happiness. He celebrated the small things that bring joy and happiness, and explores how we can live well, even through difficult times. 

    Host Elle Osili Wood guided us through an inspiring conversation about grief, recovery, hope and how we can find meaning and happiness in everyday moments. 

    --

    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our 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 

    ... 

    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.

    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/

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    43 min
  • Michael Rosen on Hope, Happiness and Finding Joy in the Small Things (Part One)

    Michael Rosen has known – and given – great joy in his life. And he has suffered immense sorrow. 

    Rosen is an author, poet and former children’s laureate, much-loved for his playful humour. He has written over 200 books, including the modern children’s classic, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. In recent years, he has become an eloquent voice on grief and sadness, and how we deal with it. His powerful writing about the death of his son and his near-lethal battle with Covid became Getting Through It, an acclaimed one-man show exploring love, loss and mortality. In 2023 he was awarded the PEN Pinter prize for what judges called a ‘fearless’ body of work that provides a ‘lesson in humanity.’

    In September 2025, he came to the Intelligence Squared stage to introduce his new book, Good Days: An A-Z of Hope and Happiness. He celebrated the small things that bring joy and happiness, and explores how we can live well, even through difficult times. 

    Host Elle Osili Wood guided us through an inspiring conversation about grief, recovery, hope and how we can find meaning and happiness in everyday moments. 

    ---

    This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our 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 

    ... 

    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.

    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    35 min
  • Women’s Prize-winner Rachel Clarke in conversation with Rob Delaney (Part Two)

    Dr Rachel Clarke is a palliative care doctor and author, who became widely known for her writing on the challenges facing the NHS from the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Since then she has also written a book, The Story of a Heart which was awarded the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction which tells the profoundly moving story of a heart transplant, and how one child saved the life of another.

    In November 2025 Clarke came to Intelligence Squared alongside actor, comedian and writer Rob Delaney to discuss this unforgettable story and what it tells us about compassion, family, medical innovation and the future of the national health service.

    ---

     If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our 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 

    ... 

    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.

    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    39 min
  • Women’s Prize-winner Rachel Clarke in conversation with Rob Delaney (Part One)

    Dr Rachel Clarke is a palliative care doctor and author, who became widely known for her writing on the challenges facing the NHS from the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Since then she has also written a book, The Story of a Heart which was awarded the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction which tells the profoundly moving story of a heart transplant, and how one child saved the life of another.

    In November 2025 Clarke came to Intelligence Squared alongside actor, comedian and writer Rob Delaney to discuss this unforgettable story and what it tells us about compassion, family, medical innovation and the future of the national health service.

    ---

    This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our 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 

    ... 

    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.

    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    37 min
  • The Specialist | The Anonymous Altarpiece: Decoding a Renaissance Enigma, with Alex Bell

    This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.


    On today’s episode, what happens when a work of art is so enigmatic that you think about it for 60 years? Alex Bell, Chairman Emeritus of Sotheby's UK and Old Masters Worldwide, tells the story of how a mysterious Renaissance altarpiece entered the collection of the National Gallery in London as the museum celebrated its bi-centenary.


    Further details about the episode subject.

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    14 min
  • Have We Finally Solved The Mystery of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring? With Andrew Graham-Dixon

    Johannes Vermeer is one of the greatest painters in history, yet the man himself remains an enigma. But have we finally solved the mystery of one of his most famous paintings?

    On this episode we’re joined by Andrew Graham-Dixon, one of Britain’s best known art historians. In his new book Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found, he sets out a radical reappraisal of Vermeer’s life, beliefs and the meaning of his paintings. He shows us an artist immersed in the religious debates of the Dutch Republic in the 17th Century, and argues that this atmosphere is key to understanding Vermeer, the man and his work.  

    In conversation with Hannah Kaye, Graham-Dixon also shares his illuminating new interpretation of The Girl with the Pearl Earring.

    Graham-Dixon is one of the leading art critics and arts television presenters in the English-speaking world. He has presented numerous landmark series on art for the BBC and other broadcasters, and has a distinguished record of public service in the visual arts.  For over twenty years, he published a weekly art column – first as Chief Art Critic for The Independent, and later for The Sunday Telegraph. 

    If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our 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 

    ... 

    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.

    https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices/

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    49 min
  • Everything Starts With Water

    In today’s episode, in partnership with WaterAid, journalist and author Coco Khan speaks to Amaka Godfrey, WaterAid’s Executive Director of International Programmes. 

    Amaka has spent more than 25 years working across the world in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector. She shares powerful stories of how clean water means children stay in school, healthcare is safer, and mothers can support their families or run businesses. Clean water changes lives and unlocks potential for entire communities.

    As we head into the festive season - what is for many of us a time of comfort, celebration, and gatherings round a table - most of us won’t think twice about the clean water running from our taps that make it possible. But for millions of people around the world, this is something they just don’t have. 

    Just £5 a month over a year can buy 5 standpipe taps so children like Nesteline, and her whole community, can have clean water for years to come. Please donate £5 a month today and help us to work alongside communities to bring clean water to everyone, everywhere.  

    Visit wateraid.org/uk/intelligence to donate and find out more. 

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    43 min

About Intelligence Squared

From the publisher's feed

Ideas shape the world. Intelligence Squared brings you the conversations that explain them.

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