In this captivating discussion, Iain and Philip ask what makes us who we are? Are we merely our brains, or does science only capture part of the human story? Is the universe conscious?

Dr. Iain McGilchrist, renowned psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher, and author of the critically acclaimed The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World, engages in a thought-provoking event at the UnHerd club with Professor Philip Goff, a leading panpsychist philosopher from Durham University and author of Galileo’s Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness.

McGilchrist and Goff dive into the intersections of neuroscience, philosophy, and consciousness, exploring the limits of reductionist science, the nature of the self, and the profound implications of their work for understanding the human mind and its place in the cosmos.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this exclusive UnHerd interview, Steve Bannon, former Trump Chief Strategist, host of The War Room, and Elon Musk’s strongest critic, dissects the dramatic rift between President Donald Trump and Musk, sparked by disputes over Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”—a tax-cut and spending package Musk slammed as a “disgusting abomination” for inflating the $36.2 trillion national debt.

Bannon brands Musk an “illegal alien”, possibly an agent of the CCP, and calls for his deportation and on Trump to seize SpaceX under the Defense Production Act, while defending Trump’s America First agenda against Musk’s fiscal critiques.

With Tesla’s stock dropping ~14% and Musk backpedalling on threats to decommission the Dragon spacecraft, the conversation probes whether this public feud signals the end of the Trump-Musk alliance, a potential MAGA “civil war,” and risks America’s space and economic future.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is China poised to dominate the global economy? UnHerd's Editor-in-Chief, Freddie Sayers, speaks to Kyle Chan, a Princeton University expert on Chinese industrial policy, to unpack the seismic shifts reshaping the U.S.-China economic rivalry, as explored in Chan’s recent New York Times Op-Ed ‘In the Future, China Will Be Dominant. The U.S. Will Be Irrelevant.’

Together, they dive into China’s meteoric rise in high-tech sectors like AI, robotics, and electric vehicles, and dominance in manufacturing output, and aluminium, steel and battery production, and question whether U.S. policies—such as President Trump’s latest tariffs and cuts to research funding—are inadvertently paving the way for a 'Chinese Century'.

What are China’s next steps to counter U.S. policies and global trade isolation? Can the U.S. reverse its talent drain and supply chain disruptions to stay competitive? And is the 'Chinese Century' inevitable, or will demographic and economic headwinds derail Beijing’s ambitions?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Donald Trump cashing in on the crypto craze—or crossing ethical lines?

UnHerd’s Freddie Sayers and CoinDesk’s Ben Schiller unpack the Trump family’s sudden crypto conversion and what it means for politics, finance, and ethics. Once a vocal crypto critic, Trump now calls himself a “big fan,” with his family and inner circle making major moves in the digital asset world.

Freddie and Ben look at the Trump family’s 60% stake in World Liberty Financial—a $2.2B crypto venture backed by high-profile investors like Justin Sun and Abu Dhabi—and the controversial launch of the $TRUMP memecoin ahead of the 2025 election. Add to that Trump Media’s $2.5B war chest reportedly aimed at a Bitcoin buying spree—are we witnessing smart strategy or something shadier?

At Bitcoin2025 in Las Vegas, VP JD Vance pushed pro-Bitcoin policy and stablecoin regulation under the GENIUS Act, while Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump promoted their new crypto platform—pitched as a response to being shut out by traditional banks.

With Bitcoin hitting $109K and political memecoins on the rise, is this a financial revolution or just another power grab?

From institutional growth to making America the “crypto capital,” what’s next for digital finance and the Trump administration’s role in it?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Shapiro joins Freddie Sayers for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of the American Right. They discuss what Trump has got right — and wrong — in his current tenure, Shapiro’s public criticisms of the president, and his feud with Tucker Carlson.

Also on the table: the growing divide on the Right over foreign policy and “America First,” the rise of antisemitism, free speech double standards, and Candace Owens’ exit from The Daily Wire. One of the conservative movement’s most influential voices, Shapiro doesn’t hold back.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has the anti-populist backlash already begun? Contributing editor and war reporter Aris Roussinos joins UnHerd from Romania, where he has been witnessing the final stages of a closely fought election.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The warmer months are coming. Spring back into your health and fitness: go to lumen.me/UNHERD to get 15% off your Lumen.

Freddie Sayers, host of UnHerd, interviews UnHerd’s US Editor and practicing Catholic, Sohrab Ahmari, as they dive into the historic election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope. In this in-depth discussion, Freddie and Sohrab explore who Pope Leo XIV (formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost) is, his political and religious background, and the potential global impact of his papacy.

They unpack his pre-papal social media posts, including tweets critiquing Donald Trump and JD Vance, and his public stances on key issues like economics, sexual morality, immigration, and climate change. The conversation delves into the significance of his dispute with JD Vance over ordo amoris (the theological concept of ordered love) and what it reveals about his worldview, as well as covering why he chose the name Leo, evoking the legacy of Pope Leo XIII, a pivotal figure in modern Catholic social teaching.

Is the new Pope Left or Right, or can he embody a unifying figure for both Liberals and Conservatives? Was he chosen to counter the Trump administration and rising populist movements? What will his papacy mean for the wider political and religious world?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the death penalty justice or revenge?

With 2,474 people on US death row in 2025 and debates raging globally, UnHerd's Editor-in-Chief Freddie Sayers sits down with Peter in this latest episode, to go through his arguments, tackling such concerns like the risks of executing the innocent and the efficacy of deterrence, as well as how Peter - a committed Anglican - reconciles his position with his Christian faith.

In the UK, despite capital punishment being abolished in 1965, new polling shows younger generations now favour it (even above some older groups), perhaps spurred by rising crime and cases like Axel Rudakubana’s murder of three girls in Southport. But flaws in the criminal justice system continue to be exposed as news of the longest miscarriage of justice emerges with the freeing of Peter Sullivan, once convicted of the brutal 1986 murder of florist Diane Sindall, having served 38 years in prison.

The conversation around capital punishment resurfaces once again amid increasing calls for it to be reintroduced, and MPs, like Lee Anderson and Richard Tice, demanding national debate.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.