Best Institute of Intellectual History Podcasts (2025)

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Christian faith, politics and culture 56:21

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5m ago56:21

56:21

Anne McElvoy and guests explore the intersections between Christian faith and political decision-making and look at some recent dramas which explore the impact of belief. Chine McDonald is director of the Christian Think Tank Theos, Mark Lawson is a writer, broadcaster and theatre critic of Catholic journal The Tablet, Prof Anna Rowlands is St Hild…

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Austan Goolsbee on Central Banking as a Data Dog 58:40

22h ago58:40

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Austan Goolsbee is one of Tyler Cowen’s favorite economists—not because they always agree, but because Goolsbee embodies what it means to think like an economist. Whether he’s analyzing productivity slowdowns in the construction sector, exploring the impact of taxes on digital commerce, or poking holes in overconfident macro narratives, Goolsbee is…

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Listening in on "The Great Conversation" | The University of Chicago in the 1940s — 1960s 1:35:39

1d ago1:35:39

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This lecture is entitled Listening in on "The Great Conversation" | The University of Chicago in the 1940s — 1960s. It was delivered by Ralph Lerner, David Novak, and John W. Boyer on May 7th, 2025 at at a private event.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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What Can We Say About God? An Interview with David Novak on God-Talk 45:02

6d ago45:02

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This lecture is entitled "What Can We Say About God? An Interview with David Novak on God-Talk." It features Rabbi David Novak of the University of Toronto and Melanie Barrett of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake and was presented on May 9th, 2025, at the University Club of ChicagoBy The Lumen Christi Institute

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Christianity, Culture, and Sport: From Play to Virtue 49:09

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This lecture is entitled "Christianity, Culture, and Sport: From Play to Virtue." It was delivered by Clark Power of the University of Notre Dame on April 24th, 2025, at the Butterfield Country Club.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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A Catholic Vision of Art: Beauty – The Highway to God 38:46

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This lecture is entitled "A Catholic Vision of Art: Beauty – The Highway to God." It was delivered by Sarah Crow of Xavier University on May 14th, 2025, at the Ruth Lake Country ClubBy The Lumen Christi Institute

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Language 56:44

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Journalists Peter Hitchens and Oliver Kamm, radio presenter and comedian Ellis James, languages expert Ross Perlin, Diana Sutton director of The Bell Foundation and podcaster and academic Reetika Revathy Subramanian join Matthew Sweet for a conversation about how language unites and divides us. Ross Perlin's book Language City: The Fight to Preserv…

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Chris Arnade on Walking Cities 58:55

8d ago58:55

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Most people who leave Wall Street after twenty years either retire or find another way to make a lot of money. Chris Arnade chose to walk through cities most travelers never truly see. What emerged from this approach is a unique form of street-level sociology that has attracted a devoted following on Substack. Arnade's work suggests that our most s…

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Failure 56:56

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"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." The words of Samuel Beckett from a 1983 short story Worstward Ho inspire a Free Thinking conversation about failure chaired by Matthew Sweet. His guests are:Cath Bishop rowed for Britain in the Olympics, winning a silver medal and worked as a diplomat and business coach. She …

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Any Austin on the Hermeneutics of Video Games 1:05:48

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Any Austin has carved a unique niche for himself on YouTube: analyzing seemingly mundane or otherwise overlooked details in video games with the seriousness of an art critic examining Renaissance sculptures. With millions of viewers hanging on his every word about fluvial flows in Breath of the Wild or unemployment rates in the towns of Skyrim, Aus…

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Podcasting difficult histories 56:59

20d ago56:59

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Personal Identity is at the heart of contemporary culture. Political philosophies are built around it and family history is a hobby undertaken by hundreds of thousands. Understanding where you came from is seen as central to understanding who you are. But what if the things that are uncovered are uncomfortable, upsetting or even life-changing? Matt…

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Common Sense 56:51

22d ago56:51

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What do we mean by 'common sense'?In 1925 the philosopher GE Moore wrote a Defence of Common Sense which argued against philosophical idealism, on the grounds that it seemed to deny a set of propositions that he claimed were indisputably true. His colleague Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote a detailed response to Moore's paper, and its influence extended i…

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Power: A User's Guide 57:00

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Political power can take many forms, from the top-down model of the Roman Empire, to operating in the democratic politics of today, to the possibilities offered by new technologies for more horizontal power structures in the future. Matthew Sweet is joined on a stage at the Hay Festival by historian Tom Holland, whose new translation of Suetonius’ …

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John Arnold on Trading, Energy, and Evidence-Based Philanthropy 1:04:45

22d ago1:04:45

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John Arnold built his fortune in energy trading by surrounding himself with smart people, maintaining emotional detachment, sensing market imbalances through first-principles analysis, and focusing with laser intensity on a single niche until he dominated it completely. Now he's applying that same analytical rigor to philanthropy, where he's discov…

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Care of Souls in Inquisition Spain 42:05

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This lecture is entitled Care of Souls in Inquisition Spain.It was presented by Lu Ann Homza of the College of William & Mary on February 9, 2024, at the University of Chicago.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis 37:58

23d ago37:58

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This lecture is entitled Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis.It was presented by John McGreevy of the University of Notre Dame on February 8, 2023, at the University of Chicago's Swift Hall.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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The Story of Catholic Education: Renewing Our Schools, Renewing Our Culture 44:25

23d ago44:25

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This lecture is entitled The Story of Catholic Education: Renewing Our Schools, Renewing Our Culture.It was presented by Michael Naughton of the University of St. Thomas on November 20, 2024, at the Ruth Lake Country Club.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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America's Real Sister Act: The Hidden History of Black Catholic Nuns in the United States 1:10:57

23d ago1:10:57

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This lecture is entitled America's Real Sister Act: The Hidden History of Black Catholic Nuns in the United States.It was presented by Shannen Dee Williams of the University of Dayton on April 27, 2023, at the University of Chicago's Swift Hall.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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The Bond of All Creation: Renaissance Humanism and the Incarnate Word 47:00

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This lecture is entitled The Bond of All Creation: Renaissance Humanism and the Incarnate Word.It was presented by Matthew Gaetano of Hillsdale College on May 15, 2024, at the Ruth Lake Country Club.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Ecumenical Panel on For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church 48:13

1M ago48:13

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This lecture is entitled Ecumenical Panel on For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church.It was presented by Aristotle Papanikolaou of Fordham University, William Schweiker of the University of Chicago, Stephen Meawad of Caldwell University, and Msgr. Peter Schallenberg of the Katholische Sozialwissenschaftliche Zentrals…

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Rethinking Economic Inequality: a Theological Perspective 51:01

1M ago51:01

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This lecture is entitled Rethinking Economic Inequality: a Theological Perspective.It was presented by Mary Hirschfeld of the University of Notre Dame and followed by response from Amir Sufi of the Booth School of Business on March 30, 2023, at the University of Chicago.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Pro and Con: Does Faith Ignore Reason? 37:18

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This lecture is entitled Pro and Con: Does Faith Ignore Reason?It was presented by Fr. Stephen Fields, SJ of Georgetown University on October 19, 2022, at Saint Ignatius Prep.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Do We Know More than the Apostles? Or, Do Doctrines Develop? 37:27

1M ago37:27

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This lecture is entitled Do We Know More than the Apostles? Or, Do Doctrines Develop?.It was presented by Lewis Ayres o on April 4, 2024, at the Magis Lecture Series.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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What is Catholic Culture? 40:14

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This lecture is entitled What is Catholic Culture?It was presented by Jennifer Newsome Martin of the University of Notre Dame on September 25, 2024, at the Ruth Lake Country Club.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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On the Dignity of Society: Catholic Social Teaching and Natural Law 48:58

1M ago48:58

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This lecture is entitled On the Dignity of Society: Catholic Social Teaching and Natural Law.It was presented by Russell Hittinger of the Catholic University of America, R.H. Helmholz of the University of Chicago, and Mary Hirschfeld of the University of Notre Dame on November 7, 2024, at the University of Chicago's Swift Hall Common Room.…

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A Marion Moment in Catholic Thought: A Conversation with Jean-Luc Marion and Ken Woodward 1:15:50

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This lecture is entitled A Marion Moment in Catholic Thought: A Conversation with Jean-Luc Marion and Ken Woodward.It was presented by Jean-Luc Marion of the University of Chicago and Kenneth Woodward of the Lumen Christi Institute on May 31, 2022, at the Gavin House.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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WOLVES 56:41

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Wolves were once hunted and persecuted to the point of near extinction but are now enjoying a come back across Europe, if not the UK. What can explain the way they've been targeted, and even demonised, given the low risk they pose to human beings? Shahidha Bari talks to Adam Weymouth, author of Lone Wolf, which describes his journey tracking a wolf…

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Theodore Schwartz on Neurosurgery, Consciousness, and Brain-Computer Interfaces 57:34

1M ago57:34

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Get tickets to the CWT live show at 92NY with David Brooks! Theodore Schwartz stands at the pinnacle of neurosurgical expertise. With over 500 published articles, 200 pieces of commentary, and 5 patents to his name—effectively producing a scholarly work every two weeks for three decades—Schwartz spent most of his career at Weill Cornell Medicine, w…

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AI Ethics, Human Flourishing, and Trust in Health Care 1:26:51

1M ago1:26:51

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This lecture is entitled AI Ethics, Human Flourishing, and Trust in Health Care.It was presented by Thomas Pfau of Duke University, Michael Pencina of Duke University, Matthew Elmore of Duke AI Health, and Norman Wirzba of Duke University on June 26, 2024, at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham, NC.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Can We Be Good On Our Own? Ancient Pagans and Modern Scientists on Thomistic Moral Virtue 1:13:06

1M ago1:13:06

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This lecture is entitled Can We Be Good On Our Own? Ancient Pagans and Modern Scientists on Thomistic Moral Virtue.It was presented by Angela Knobel of the University of Dallas, Daniel Lapsley of the University of Notre Dame, Candace Vogler of the University of Chicago, and Emily Austin of the University of Chicago on April 26, 2024, at the Univers…

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Populations, Persons, and Precision Medicine: The Ethics of Emerging Information Technologies 41:54

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This lecture is entitled Populations, Persons, and Precision Medicine: The Ethics of Emerging Information Technologies.It was presented by Paul Scherz of (then) the University of Virginia on March 22, 2024, at the University of Chicago.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Quandaries of Biotechnology: Theory and Practice - Session 2 58:04

1M ago58:04

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This lecture is entitled Quandaries of Biotechnology: Theory and Practice - Session 2.It was presented by Lesley Rice of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute and Silvianne Aspray of Cambridge University on March 22, 2024, at the University of Chicago.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Romano Guardini on Technology and Liturgy 57:06

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This lecture is entitled Romano Guardini on Technology and Liturgy.It was presented by Peter Casarella of Duke University on October 19, 2023, at the University of Chicago's Swift Hall.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Quandaries of Biotechnology: Theory and Practice - Session 1 1:01:57

1M ago1:01:57

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This lecture is entitled Quandaries of Biotechnology: Theory and Practice - Session 1.It was presented by Kyle Karches of Saint Louis University and Stephen Meredith of the University of Chicago on March 22, 2024, at the University of Chicago.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Catholic Women in the Arts and Sciences 35:14

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This lecture is entitled Catholic Women in the Arts and Sciences.It was presented by Bronwen McShea of the Augustine Institute on March 20, 2024, at the Ruth Lake Country Club.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Technology, Liturgy, and the Work of Human Hands 37:02

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This lecture is entitled Technology, Liturgy, and the Work of Human Hands.It was presented by Jeffrey P. Bishop of St. Louis University on November 14, 2024, at Loyola Academy.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Is the Universe Made for Life? Anthropic Coincidences and Multiverse Ideas 46:08

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This lecture is entitled Is the Universe Made for Life? Anthropic Coincidences and Multiverse Ideas.It was presented by Stephen Barr of the University of Delaware on February 7, 2022, at the University of Chicago's Kersten Hall.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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A Symposium on Gratitude, Creation, and the Technological Mindset 1:01:30

1M ago1:01:30

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This lecture is entitled A Symposium on Gratitude, Creation, and the Technological Mindset.It was presented by Melanie Barrett of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Matthew Crawford of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, and Mark Shiffman of Saint Patrick's Seminary & University on October 11, 2024, at the Social Sciences Tea Room…

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Political Visions 56:51

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What is the role of vision in politics? Must politicians have a vision of what kind of society they’re working towards, ultimately? What kind of role does this vision play in the day-to-day practice of working politicians? Or is this a misunderstanding of the nature of politics?We mark the anniversary of the landmark text of modern libertarianism, …

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Literary Traditions and the Pursuit of Truth: A Culture of Humility 38:18

1M ago38:18

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This lecture is entitled Literary Traditions and the Pursuit of Truth: A Culture of Humility.It was presented by Emily Austin of the University of Chicago on October 16, 2024, at the Ruth Lake Country Club.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Discursive, Performative, and Interpretive Strategies in Late Ancient Christian Literature 53:56

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This lecture is entitled Discursive, Performative, and Interpretive Strategies in Late Ancient Christian Literature.It was presented by Paul Blowers of Milligan University on March 30, 2022, at the University of Chicago's Classics 110.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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A Conversation on Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of the Intellectual Life 1:09:31

1M ago1:09:31

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This lecture is entitled A Conversation on Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of the Intellectual Life.It was presented by Zena Hitz of St John's College and Erin Walsh of the Universty of Chicago on February 2, 2022, at the University of Chicago's Swift Hall.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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The Catholic Imagination in Modern American Poetry 1:03:05

1M ago1:03:05

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This lecture is entitled The Catholic Imagination in Modern American Poetry.It was presented by James Matthew Wilson of the University of St Thomas, Houston on May 11, 2022, at the Ruth Lake Country Club.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Dante and a Poet's Journey in Hope 1:02:39

1M ago1:02:39

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This lecture is entitled Dante and a Poet's Journey in Hope.It was presented by Denys Turner of Yale University on April 11, 2024, at the University of Chicago.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Dante the Theologian: Ken Woodward Interviews Denys Turner 49:43

1M ago49:43

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This lecture is entitled Dante the Theologian: Ken Woodward Interviews Denys Turner.It was presented by Ken Woodward of the Lumen Christi Institute and Denys Turner of Yale University on April 10, 2024.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Aristotle's Great-Souled Man in Jane Austen, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Saint Augustine 38:18

1M ago38:18

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This lecture is entitled Aristotle's Great-Souled Man in Jane Austen, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Saint Augustine.It was presented by J. Warren Smith of Duke Divinity School on January 26, 2023, at the University of Chicago's Swift Hall.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Peace 56:45

2M ago56:45

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On the 8th May 1945, the Allies declared victory over Nazi Germany. How has war and the threat of war shaped society in the intervening years? Do 'war' and 'peace' mean the same things, 80 years on?Matthew Sweet is joined by political scientist David Runciman, peace negotiator Gabrielle Rifkind, historian Ashleigh Percival-Borley Producer: Luke Mul…

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Jack Clark on AI's Uneven Impact 1:02:40

2M ago1:02:40

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Few understand both the promise and limitations of artificial general intelligence better than Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic. With a background in journalism and the humanities that sets him apart in Silicon Valley, Clark offers a refreshingly sober assessment of AI's economic impact—predicting growth of 3-5% rather than the 20-30% touted by …

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Michelangelo's Women: Feminine Genius in the Frescoes of the Sistine Chapel 58:12

2M ago58:12

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This lecture is entitled Michelangelo's Women: Feminine Genius in the Frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.It was presented by Elizabeth Lev of Duquesne University on November 17, 2021, at the University of Chicago's Social Sciences Building.By The Lumen Christi Institute

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Singing the Sacred: Music and the Holy in Ancient Christianity 45:20

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This lecture is entitled Singing the Sacred: Music and the Holy in Ancient Christianity.It was presented by Susan Ashbrook Harvey of Brown University on May 15, 2022, at the University of Chicago's Rockefeller Chapel.By The Lumen Christi Institute

Institute Of Intellectual History Podcasts