Open to Debate

In this episode of Discourse Disrupters, two of America’s top legal minds tackles one of the most pressing questions of the day: what should we do about "hate speech." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Populism is on the rise. Relations between American and European leaders are often tense. Is the transatlantic relationship beyond repair? Four of the brightest foreign policy minds gather in Brussels for this timely and thoughtful debate. This debate is presented in partnership with the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Team IQ2US is busy in Brussels, getting ready to bring you our next debate, “The Transatlantic Relationship Has Been Irreparably Damaged.” This one will be presented in partnership with the German Marshall Fund. In this episode, get ready for the debate with a special episode of “Out of Order,” created by our partners. In this podcast, the German Marshall Fund's president Karen Donfried sits down...

A decade ago, Facebook and Twitter promised a digital revolution that would bolster democratic values and empower users around the world. Did that work out? In this episode, we take a look back at one of our most important debates to date. Join four leading thinkers in tech, policy, and media for spirited and timely debate on the motion, "Social Media Is Good For Democracy." Cast your vote on the...

There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States today. In a divided and contentious political climate where immigration is a key issue for voters across the ideological spectrum, what should happen to these individuals? This episode, we take a look back at our debate on the motion, "Give Undocumented Immigrants a Path to Citizenship."  Learn more about your ad...

Presidential contender Andrew Yang wants to give every American a monthly check from the government, just to cover the basics. And he's not alone. Business leaders, particularly those in Silicon Valley, and some Democratic politicians are warming up to the idea of a universal basic income as a means to offset the impacts of automation in the workforce. In this episode, we take a look back at our d...

Right now, climate engineers are working on new technologies that would reflect the sun’s rays away from earth. For some, it’s a bold new plan to combat climate change. For others, it's a dangerous attempt to meddle with Mother Nature. Join four leading climate scientists for a debate on the motion, “Engineering Solar Radiation Is a Crazy Idea.”  Learn more about Intelligence Squared U.S. and cast...

What if the next car you buy or taxi you hail drives itself? Join four leaders in autonomous vehicles for a timely debate on whether society should embrace driverless cars or approach these new, controversial vehicles with caution.  Learn more about Intelligence Squared U.S. and cast your vote to decide the winner at IQ2US.org.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Senator Jeff Flake and the New York Times’ Bret Stephens team up to argue the motion, “The Republican Party Should Not Re-Nominate Trump.” They face Kris Kobach, a former Trump advisor and former Kansas Secretary of State, and Fox New’s Liz Peek, who are rooting for Trump 2020. Learn more about Intelligence Squared U.S. and cast your vote to decide the winner at IQ2US.org. Learn more about...

In this special episode of Intelligence Squared U.S., John Donvan sits down with one of America's leading political thinkers to discuss a bold premise: loving your enemies. Arthur Brooks is a best-selling author and the outgoing president of the American Enterprise Institute. His new book, "Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt", builds on his decades i...

With David French, Corynne McSherry, Nathaniel Persily, and Marietje Schaake How should the world's largest social media companies respond to a pernicious online climate, including hate speech and false content posted by users? For some, the answer is clear: Take the fake and offensive content down. But for others, censorship - even by a private company - is dangerous in a time when digital platfo...

With Ian Bremmer, Michèle Flournoy, Yasheng Huang, Parag Khanna, and Susan Thornton President Xi Jinping has made it clear: When it comes to big data, advanced weaponry, and other innovations in tech and AI, China has plans to surpass the United States as the world’s next techonomic superpower. But between the trade war with the U.S., the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, and an array of domesti...

In this special episode of Intelligence Squared U.S., we partner with IBM for a historic debate that brings AI to the stage. IBM Project Debater is the first AI system designed to debate humans on complex topics using a combination of pioneering research developed by IBM researchers. In this debate, Project Debater faces world-class debater Harish Natarajan on the motion, "We Should Subsidize Pres...

Motion: Don't Bring Extinct Creatures back to Life Once a sci-fi fantasy explored in films like “Jurassic Park,” recent biological and technological breakthroughs indicate that reviving extinct creatures could become a reality. Proponents argue that the benefits include correcting mistakes of the past by bringing back extinct ecosystems and organisms. Others argue it's not ethical, or even feasibl...

Motion: Ten Years After the Global Financial Crisis, the System Is Safer More than 10 years ago, Lehman Brothers collapsed, and the world witnessed one of the worst financial crises in global history. Has the world learned its lesson and created a more resilient global financial system? Or are we ill-prepared for next time?  Join Us Live In New York on January 31st for "Don't Bring Extinct Creatur...

MOTION: Don't Eat Anything with a Face From the Archive: Are humans meant to be carnivores? Revisit our debate featuring “21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart” author Neal Barnard, Farm Sanctuary co-founder Gene Baur, nutritional scientist Chris Masterjohn, and farmer and author Joel Salatin.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MOTION: Smart Technology is Making us Dumb. Smart technology grants us unprecedented, immediate access to knowledge and to each other -- a ubiquitous and seamless presence in everyday life. But is there a downside to all of this connectivity? It’s been said that smart technology creates dependency on devices, narrows our world to echo chambers, and impairs cognitive skills through shortcuts and di...

Motion: Silicon Valley Has Lost Its Soul. Silicon Valley once promised to solve many of the world's problems with a technological revolution. But now, the tech hub is the center of much scrutiny, and for many, that scrutiny is warranted. From privacy violations to flawed business models to a lack of diversity and representation, Silicon Valley has seemingly betrayed its idealism. And though techno...

Last year, our host John Donvan sat down with Ken Stern, the former National Public Radio CEO, to discuss his book "Republican Like Me: How I Left the Liberal Bubble and Learned to Love the Right, " which chronicles this lifelong liberal's journey through conservative communities and ideas. Ken sat in on Steve Bannon’s radio show, rallied with the Tea Party, spent Sundays in evangelical churches,...

Motion: Trump is Bad for Comedy From the opening skit on “Saturday Night Live” to “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” to the pages of The Onion, President Trump has become the face of comedy. Some comedians and writers argue that in the Trump era, satire has become more challenging and jokes have become cheap. Trump, according to his critics, has normalized the absurd and the nature of political...

Motion: Progressive Populism Will Save The Democratic Party As Democratic leaders and strategists gear up for the 2018 and 2020 elections, the party stands at a crossroads. For progressive populists, the path forward is clear: Democrats must get back in touch with the party’s working-class roots by championing a specific set of policies, including Medicare for all, free public college tuition, a g...

Motion: Retail Alliances – Not Washington – Will Save the U.S. Health Care System Last year, Intelligence Squared U.S. and the Mayo Clinic brought to the stage a bold inquiry about whether health care in the United States is terminally broken. And this year, we’re picking up where that discussion left off, against the backdrop of corporate behemoths announcing mergers that, they say, are sure to s...

The Three Motions: Is NATO No Longer Fit for Purpose? Is the Russia Threat Overblown? Is It Time to Take a Hard Line on Iran? For the United States, tensions are rising with both allies and adversaries. Rogue states are racing to master new technologies and create weapons of mass destruction. And faith in international institutions is seemingly deteriorating. What does this all mean for U.S. natio...

MOTION: Globalization Has Undermined America's Working Class Globalization ushered in an era of free trade, fluid borders, and unparalleled corporate profits. For its proponents, the global integration of states and their economies was a political and economic win that created a wealth of opportunities for workers and consumers around the world. But in the United States, jobs are disappearing. Fro...

MOTION: Social Media Is Good for Democracy By connecting people across the world for free, platforms like Twitter and Facebook set the stage for a promising digital revolution, providing tools that helped foster global friendships, break down long-standing barriers that kept people and ideas from being heard, and served as the ultimate democratizing force for information. Now, lawmakers in the U.S...