Best Forethought Podcasts (2025)

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Politics and Power Post-Automation (with David Duvenaud) 1:30:42

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2h ago1:30:42

1:30:42

David Duvenaud is an associate professor at the University of Toronto. He recently organised the workshop on ‘Post-AGI Civilizational Equilibria’, and he is a co-author of ‘Gradual Disempowerment’. He recently finished an extended sabbatical on the Alignment Science team at Anthropic. To see all Forethought’s published research, visit forethought.o…

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Episode 7: Saying goodbye to the childhood home - also my parents have WAY too much STUFF! With Alli Rubin, Professional Moving Manager 1:07:39

6d ago1:07:39

1:07:39

Downsizing and moving your aging parents is one of the hardest tasks of all time. Or maybe your loved one has already passed and you are tasked with selling a home and going through a lifetime of belongings. It’s. Brutal. Seriously, it’s the definition of overwhelm. Where do you begin? In this episode, we welcome guest Alli Rubin who is a professio…

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[Article] AI Tools for Existential Security 27:34

7d ago27:34

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This is a narration of ‘AI Tools for Existential Security’ by Lizka Vaintrob and Owen Cotton-Barratt; published 14th March 2025. Narration by Perrin Walker (@perrinjwalker).

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Is Gradual Disempowerment Inevitable? (with Raymond Douglas) 1:45:20

15d ago1:45:20

1:45:20

Raymond Douglas is a researcher focused on the societal effects of AI. In this episode, we discuss Gradual Disempowerment. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research. To subscribe to our newsletter, visit forethought.org/subscribe.

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[Article] Intelsat as a Model for International AGI Governance 55:07

18d ago55:07

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This is a narration of ‘Intelsat as a Model for International AGI Governance’ by Will MacAskill and Rose Hadshar; published 13th March 2025. Narration by Perrin Walker (@perrinjwalker).

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Episode 6: How to save your friendships when you’re in The Sandwich Generation 47:54

20d ago47:54

47:54

Have you ever been asked by a friend, “What can I do to help?” and you go blank?! Yeah, us too. Being in The Sandwich Generation is a lot. And it’s oftentimes hard for our friends and ourselves to communicate just how lonely it feels and how much we need our friends. In this episode hosts Robyn Frank and Eliesa Johnson discuss the challenges of mai…

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Episode 105: Dan Koch: Music, Faith, Trauma & Why Reality Heals 1:02:19

23d ago1:02:19

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Musician turned therapist Dan Koch joins The Puck: Venture Capital & Beyond to share his remarkable journey from touring in a rock band to pioneering research on spiritual abuse. We explore how faith and psychology intersect, why polarization is so hard to overcome, and why Dan believes ‘reality itself can be the medicine.’ A conversation about hea…

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[Article] Will AI R&D Automation Cause a Software Intelligence Explosion? 1:50:40

24d ago1:50:40

1:50:40

This is a narration of ‘Will AI R&D Automation Cause a Software Intelligence Explosion?’ by Daniel Eth and Tom Davidson; published 26th March 2025. Narration by Perrin Walker (@perrinjwalker).

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Should AI Agents Obey Human Laws? (with Cullen O'Keefe) 1:23:54

27d ago1:23:54

1:23:54

Cullen O'Keefe is Director of Research at the Institute for Law & AI. In this episode, we discuss 'Law-Following AI: designing AI agents to obey human laws'. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research. To subscribe to our newsletter, visit forethought.org/subscribe.

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[Article] AI-Enabled Coups: How a Small Group Could Use AI to Seize Power 2:09:32

29d ago2:09:32

2:09:32

This is a narration of ‘AI-Enabled Coups: How a Small Group Could Use AI to Seize Power’ by Tom Davidson, Lukas Finnveden, and Rose Hadshar; published 16th April 2025. Narration by Perrin Walker (@perrinjwalker).

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Episode 5: F*ck - now I have to manage my parent’s finances too? With Shannon Foreman of Forethought Planning 1:07:09

1M ago1:07:09

1:07:09

Raise your hand if you’re a caregiver who has needed to manage your parent’s finances and you think - oh F*ck - this is A LOT more difficult than I expected?!? We think everyone in the room right now feels this way! No matter how full or empty the bank account is, opening the books to your parents finances, managing the cost of care and navigating …

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How Can We Prevent AI-Enabled Coups? (with Tom Davidson) 2:13:50

1M ago2:13:50

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Tom Davidson is a Senior Research Fellow at Forethought. In this episode, he discusses concrete mitigations against AI-enabled coups. Listen to Tom's appearance on the 80,000 Hours podcast here, and read the original paper here. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research.

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Episode 104: Aaron David Miller on the Future of Israeli-Palestinian Peace 40:22

1M ago40:22

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As violence flares in Gaza and the Middle East teeters on the edge of a wider crisis, The Puck turns to Aaron David Miller — a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; a former State department analyst and negotiator in Republican and Democratic Administrations — for an unflinching look at the road ahead. In this urgent conv…

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Episode 4: Self care feels like a SCAM! 41:16

2M ago41:16

41:16

How the f*ck am I supposed to fit in self care? This is a question we ask ourselves all. of. the. Time. (especially while living this ‘sandwiched’ lifestyle). With the algorithms feeding us endless articles about all the ways we ‘should’ be doing self care, frankly, it all feels like a scam. In this episode, we (Eliesa Johnson and Robyn Frank) open…

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Should We Aim for Flourishing Over Mere Survival? (with Will MacAskill) 2:54:24

2M ago2:54:24

2:54:24

Will MacAskill discusses his new research series ‘Better Futures’. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research.

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Ep. 103 — Anat Admati on Financial Fragility, Accountability, and the Future of Capitalism 59:57

2M ago59:57

59:57

Stanford professor and financial reform advocate Anat Admati joins Jim to unpack the growing fragility in our financial system and the dangerous myths still shaping public policy. From shadow banking and corporate debt subsidies to crypto hype and post-crisis denial, Admati pulls no punches in exposing the deep structural flaws threatening American…

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Episode 3: Help! How do I work with my siblings while we manage our parents? 1:02:38

2M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

Sibling dynamics can be tricky - no matter how loving or estranged you are. Then add in kids, aging parents, living across the country and having to make some big, real-time, decisions together as you begin caregiving for your loved ones. Holy shit - it’s a lot. In this episode, we welcome Lisa Frank, Robyn’s sister to the show. The Frank sisters t…

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Ep. 102 – John B. Judis: Populism, Realignment, and the Fight for America’s Future 56:15

2M ago56:15

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Journalist and author John B. Judis joins Jim to unpack the political chaos of our time—from Trump and Sanders to shifting class loyalties, cultural divides, and the fragile state of democracy. Is a new political order emerging—or are we just stuck in a dangerous loop?By Jim Baer

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AI Rights for Human Safety (with Peter Salib and Simon Goldstein) 1:53:37

3M ago1:53:37

1:53:37

Peter Salib is an assistant professor of law at the University of Houston, and Simon Goldstein is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Hong Kong. We discuss their paper ‘AI Rights for Human Safety’. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research.

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Episode 2: What the hell is power of attorney and why do you need it? With Rachel Schromen of Schromen Law, LLC. 48:58

3M ago48:58

48:58

“Are you the Power of Attorney?” When shit goes down and a health crisis happens with our aging parents, this is one of the first questions we are asked. But what the hell is a power of attorney and why do we need it? In this episode, Eliesa Johnson and Robyn Frank are joined by (the fantastic) Rachel Schromen of Schromen Law, LLC and we discuss it…

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Episode 1: Introduction: What even IS the Sandwich Generation? And are YOU in it? 21:33

3M ago21:33

21:33

Are you taking care of your young kids and aging parents? Are you feeling like you’re in the messy middle and you don’t know where to go? We felt the same way so we started this podcast ♡ In this episode, we discuss the challenges faced by the sandwich generation, who are simultaneously caring for aging parents and raising young children. Our conve…

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Episode 101 – David French: Moral Clarity in an Age of Manufactured Distrust 57:08

3M ago57:08

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David French returns to The Puck for a wide-ranging, deeply thoughtful conversation about the state of American democracy, the risks of authoritarianism, and the spiritual costs of political polarization. A New York Times columnist and former National Review editor, French unpacks the dangerous allure of strongman politics, reflects on Israel’s evo…

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Inference Scaling, AI Agents, and Moratoria (with Toby Ord) 2:55:10

3M ago2:55:10

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Toby Ord is a Senior Researcher at Oxford University. We discuss the ‘scaling paradox’, inference scaling and its implications, ways to interpret trends in the length of tasks AI agents can complete, and some unpublished thoughts on lessons from scientific moratoria for the development of AGI. To see all our published research, visit forethought.or…

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The Puck – Episode 100: The Pursuit of Happiness with Jeffrey Rosen 51:51

4M ago51:51

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To mark our 100th episode and launch of Season 9, Jim Baer sits down with Jeffrey Rosen—President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, host of We the People, and author of The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America.In this rich and timely conversation, Rosen explores how …

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Season 1 Trailer 0:40

4M ago0:40

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A quick glimpse of what is to come - Season 1 of The Sandwich Generation Pod will be launching in Mid July 2025. This will be a humorous podcast about caregiving for the young, old, and all of the chaos in between. Hosted by Eliesa Johnson and Robyn Frank ✨ Follow us @thesandwichgenerationpodBy Eliesa Johnson and Robyn Frank

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Episode 99: Greg Walton Returns to Discuss Belonging, Identity, and Civil Discourse 58:27

4M ago58:27

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Stanford psychology professor Greg Walton returns for his second appearance on The Puck to discuss his new book, Ordinary Magic: The Science of How We Can Achieve Big Change with Small Acts. Three years after our first conversation, Greg rejoins the show to reflect on how our world has changed—and how subtle, science-backed interventions can help u…

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Episode 98: Kristian Rönn 1:02:16

5M ago1:02:16

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On this episode of The Puck: Venture Capital & Beyond, Jim Baer sits down with Kristian Rönn—climate tech founder, AI ethicist, and author of The Darwinian Trap—to explore how humanity can escape destructive evolutionary forces and build a future rooted in shared values, long-term thinking, and spiritual renewal. A conversation about risk, responsi…

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Episode 97: Michelle Goldberg 51:49

5M ago51:49

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In this powerful episode of The Puck, Jim Baer sits down with Michelle Goldberg—New York Times columnist, author, and longtime voice of progressive political commentary—for a deep and timely conversation. They explore how the Trump era reshaped institutional norms, the growing influence of conspiracy thinking, and the failures of both political par…

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AI Tools for Existential Security (with Lizka Vaintrob) 1:15:07

5M ago1:15:07

1:15:07

Lizka Vaintrob discusses ‘AI Tools for Existential Security’, co-authored with Owen Cotton-Barratt. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research.

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Episode 96: Jonathan Rauch 1:03:15

6M ago1:03:15

1:03:15

What if the strongest case for Christianity’s role in democracy came from an atheist?Jim Baer sits down with Jonathan Rauch to discuss Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy, and why America needs the moral backbone that Christian virtues once provided. Rauch—Jewish, gay, and secular—argues that courage, equality, and forgiven…

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Episode #95 – Steven Teles: Class, Conflict, and the Collapse of Trust 53:04

6M ago53:04

53:04

In this thought-provoking episode, Jim Baer sits down with political scientist Steven Teles, professor at Johns Hopkins University and co-author of The Captured Economy and Never Trump. Together, they explore the shifting class dynamics fueling America’s political polarization and the deepening distrust in institutions—from higher education to publ…

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Will AI R&D Automation Cause a Software Intelligence Explosion? (with Tom Davidson) 1:19:50

6M ago1:19:50

1:19:50

Tom Davidson discusses ‘Will AI R&D Automation cause a Software Intelligence Explosion?’, co-authored with Daniel Eth. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research.

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Episode 94: Michael Lind 1:05:22

6M ago1:05:22

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Navigating a New World with Michael LindIn this episode of The Puck, Jim Baer sits down with acclaimed writer and policy thinker Michael Lind, co-founder of New America and author of Hell to Pay: How the Suppression of Wages is Destroying America. Together, they explore the global economic shifts, the U.S. political realignment, the dangers of inte…

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Preparing for the Intelligence Explosion (with Will MacAskill) 1:51:00

6M ago1:51:00

1:51:00

Will MacAskill discusses ‘Preparing for the Intelligence Explosion’, co-authored with Fin Moorhouse. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research.

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Episode 93: Aswath Damodaran 1:00:44

6M ago1:00:44

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On this episode of The Puck, host Jim Baer sits down with Aswath Damodaran, renowned NYU finance professor and the “Dean of Valuation,” for a deep dive into the current economic landscape.Damodaran breaks down the market’s recent volatility, the looming risk of a recession, and why the U.S. has been able to defy macroeconomic gravity for so long. H…

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Intelsat as a Model for International AGI Governance (with Rose Hadshar) 1:07:19

7M ago1:07:19

1:07:19

Rose Hadshar discusses ‘Intelsat as a Model for International AGI Governance’, co-authored with Will MacAskill. To see all our published research, visit forethought.org/research.

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Episode 92: Patrick Ruffini 45:32

7M ago45:32

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On this episode of The Puck: Venture Capital and Beyond, host Jim Baer sits down with Republican pollster and political strategist Patrick Ruffini, co-founder of Echelon Insights and author of The Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP. Ruffini shares his insights on the shifting political landscape, the ris…

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Principles of Pesticide Safety 28:41

7M ago28:41

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As the season of outdoors comes closer, it's important to review some basics of pesticide safety. Whether they are organic or synthetic, all pesticides can be dangerous. So wear your PPE and keep them out of reach of children!By Karen Cox and Dan Lima

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Episode 91: Gary Gerstle 57:54

7M ago57:54

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On this week’s episode, Jim sits down with Gary Gerstle, author, professor, and historian with a focus on “Political Orders.” His most recent book, “The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order,” came out in 2022, and explores the larger trends in political thinking which make up a consensus, oftentimes a consensus we take for granted. Their conversat…

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Episode 90: Frank Furedi 54:48

7M ago54:48

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On this week’s episode, Jim sits down with Frank Furedi, author, social commentator, and Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent. Frank is a free speech absolutist and has been a longtime critic of what he and others call “The Culture Wars.” They discuss Frank’s background, his academic work, and how he formed his worldview.…

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Energy and forethought needed to keep warm 27:04

7M ago27:04

27:04

Being out in cold temperatures is often necessary. But, there are a few things you can do to improve your comfort and safety. We cover how to layer your clothes, travel safely, and how to help livestock stay warm and healthy in low temperatures.By Karen Cox and Dan Lima

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Episode 89: Jai Das 39:15

7M ago39:15

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On this week’s episode, Jim sits down with Jai Das, President and Partner at Sapphire Ventures. They cover Jai’s history as a developer, the Sapphire origin story, and Jai’s current read of the financial landscape. Their conversation explores what sets successful companies apart, and what’s next for Sapphire, including their groundbreaking AI inves…

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What is ForeCast? 0:58

7M ago0:58

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This is a short trailer for ForeCast, the podcast from Forethought. Full episodes will appear in this feed.

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A Salty Situation 28:34

8M ago28:34

28:34

Learn about the differences in sidewalk salt and their effects on the ice, environment, and the sidewalk itself. We also remind our poultry owners about biosecurity tacticts to protect their birds from avian influenzaBy Karen Cox and Dan Lima

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Winter Garden Activities for IPM 29:02

9M ago29:02

29:02

What to do in the garden or on the farm during winter to reduce disease and make life easier next year.By Karen Cox and Dan Lima

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Feral Swine: Unseen Threats and How to Combat Them 27:48

9M ago27:48

27:48

Explore the history and dangers of feral swine, their diseases, hunting regulations, and safe cooking tips to protect yourself and our food system.By Karen Cox and Dan Lima

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Episode 88: Greg McKeown 47:53

9M ago47:53

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In this illuminating episode of The Puck, Jim sits down with Greg McKeown, the bestselling author of "Essentialism" and "Effortless." McKeown shares his journey from London law student to influential thought leader, revealing his groundbreaking philosophy of achieving more by doing less. Through engaging stories—ranging from Silicon Valley successe…

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Sifting through the bubbles surrounding Insecticidal Soaps 28:24

10M ago28:24

28:24

Using soap to kill insects isn't as simple as it seems. Today we go through the ins and outs of what makes soap an appropriate insecticide and what to avoid. References: Fundamentals of Using Soaps as Insecticides by Dr. Raymond Cloyd https://blogs.k-state.edu/kansasbugs/2020/06/12/fundamentals-of-using-soaps-as-insecticides/ Insecticidal Soap Writ…

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Episode 87: Sir Paul Collier Returns to the Show! 45:18

10M ago45:18

45:18

Once again, we have the privilege of hosting world-renowned economist Sir Paul Collier. Paul and Jim discuss the vast changes in the world economy since Paul was last on the show in 2022. They cover inflation, geopolitical conflict, and of course Paul’s new book, Left Behind: A New Economics for Neglected Places. Give us a listen and let us know wh…

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Battling the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid 27:10

10M ago27:10

27:10

Join us as we explore the impact of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on our forests, uncovering its origins, spread, and the ecological consequences of its control. Learn about hope for management and what you can do to protect your prize hemlock tree from this invasive pest.By Karen Cox and Dan Lima