Intelligence Squared

Friends do it, strangers do it and so do chimpanzees - and it's not just deeply embedded in our history and culture, it may even be written in our DNA. The humble handshake, it turns out, has a rich and surprising history. In this week's episode palaeoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to science broadcaster Helen Czerski about a funny and fascinating voyage of discovery - from the handshake's origins (at least seven million years ago) all the way to its sudden disappearance in March 2020. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23 Juli 202339min

On the 17th March 2023, just over a year into Russia’s war in Ukraine, the International Criminal Court issued two arrest warrants. One for Vladimir Putin and one for Maria Lvova-Belova, whose title is Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation. Some viewed these arrest warrants as a fundamental point of progress and justice in the war. Others raised concerns about the feasibility and potential consequences of prosecuting a sitting head of state. Throughout history, leaders accused of war crimes have faced varying degrees of accountability and Putin’s case raises important questions about legal frameworks, the role of international institutions like the International Criminal Court, and the challenges involved in holding high-ranking officials responsible for their actions. On this episode of the podcast, we analyse the implications of prosecuting Putin for war crimes - with Philippe Sands, lawyer and author of East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity - and Daniel Krcmaric, academic and author of The Justice Dilemma: Leaders and Exile in an Era of Accountability. Our host is journalist and academic Philippa Thomas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23 Juli 202332min

For the second part of our conversation between cognitive psychologist and bestselling author Steven Pinker and academic and podcaster David Runciman, who teaches politics and history at Cambridge University, we rejoin the discussion with the two looking at the roots of skepticism. This interview first appeared on Intelligence Squared in early 2019 at the time of the publication of Pinker's book, Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Juli 202328min

For this edition, Intelligence Squared revisits a compelling discussion from 2019 with one of the world's foremost cognitive psychologists, Steven Pinker, whose work often focuses on language, the mind, and human nature. He was joined in conversation by David Runciman, the academic and podcaster who teaches politics and history at Cambridge University, to discuss the themes of Pinker’s book, Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress. This is the first half of a two-part conversation. Join us for part two in the following episode. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Juli 202325min

Yale Law professor Scott Shapiro takes us on an exhilarating journey through the world of cybercrime and hacking, unraveling the captivating stories behind five extraordinary hacks that have left an indelible mark on our information society. From the audacious exploits of Fancy Bear, the elite hacking unit within Russian military intelligence, to lesser-known yet equally astonishing incidents, Scott Shapiro sheds light on the origins, motivations, and consequences of these remarkable cyber intrusions. Our host for this episode is Carl Miller - Research Director at Demos and author of The Death of The Gods: The New Global Power Grab. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you’d like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Juli 202337min

Join Simon Callow as he shares his infectious enthusiasm and profound knowledge of Charles Dickens in this conversation produced in partnership with Sotheby’s. As an acclaimed actor who has portrayed the author and written a biography about him, Callow is an authority on Dickens' eccentricities and literary genius. In conversation with novelist Kate Mosse and Sotheby's books specialist David Goldthorpe, he shares personal anecdotes and explores Dickens' transformative storytelling through key texts – including a fascinating handwritten reading text of David Copperfield featured in Sotheby’s upcoming auction – revealing how the great author has shaped his life and career. This event was recorded on 11 July 2023 as part of Sotheby’s Book Week, held to mark a series of sales taking place in London, Paris and New York from 4-20 July featuring literature, illustrations and musical manuscripts that span continents and centuries. The London auction will take place on Thursday 20 July. Please visit sothebys.com to find out more.  This conversation was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye and edited by Producer Catharine Hughes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 Juli 202349min

For this preview of Intelligence Squared's new podcast, VS, two cities with hundreds of years of history, much of it shared, and also decades of cultural rivalry go head to head. Joining VS this week to debate London VS New York are our guests who have called each location home for most of their lives. Simon Jenkins is a regular newspaper columnist and formerly editor of the London Evening Standard and The Times newspapers. He was once chairman of The National Trust, the UK's foremost heritage organisation, and he also wrote a book on his home city, A Short History of London. Anthony Scaramucci is a financier and founder of SkyBridge Capital. Also known as The Mooch, you may remember him as former White House Director of Communications for a record 11 days. He’s been described by one newspaper as being "as New York as skyscrapers, subways and Sinatra". Coco Khan is our host making sure it's a fair contest but there can only be one winner – you the listeners decide – follow the link below to cast your vote. https://intelligencesquared.com/vs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15 Juli 202312min

What do the words of America’s Founding Fathers mean today? In this conversation produced in partnership with Sotheby’s, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik, scholar Dr Anika Prather and Sotheby’s books specialist Selby Kiffer explore the historical significance of the writings of America’s Founding Fathers for the twenty-first century. Running alongside Sotheby's Book Week in July 2023 and the auction of key documents from Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and George Washington, this talk will examine the pivotal role these papers played in history, such as the establishment of the English Empire, negotiations for peace during the Revolution, as well as personal reflections of Thomas Jefferson. Join us and discover the intellect, passion, and conviction of the Founding Fathers as they established the ideals that became the foundation of the United States, which have inspired countless others to rise and reclaim their own liberty and human dignity.  This event was recorded on 11 July 2023 as part of Sotheby’s Book Week, a series of sales taking place in London, Paris and New York from 4-20 July featuring literature, illustrations and musical manuscripts that span continents and centuries. The New York auction will take place on Tuesday 18 July. Please visit sothebys.com to find out more and register for further updates.  This conversation was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye and edited by Producer Catharine Hughes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14 Juli 202355min