Jeremy Grantham on Investing in Green Tech
When it comes to fighting climate change Jeremy Grantham is optimistic about technology – but worried about timing. Known widely for his acuity in identifying bubbles, the British investor contends
Conversations with Tyler
Tyler Cowen engages today’s deepest thinkers in wide-ranging explorations of their work, the world, and everything in between. New conversations every other Wednesday. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Ken Burns on the Complications of History
When it comes to history—particularly American history—nothing is ever definitive, says documentarian Ken Burns. Much of his work has focused on capturing that history in film, but in his new
Walter Russell Mead on the Past and Future of American Foreign Policy
A leading expert in foreign policy, Walter Russell Mead believes his lack of a PhD—and interest in actually going places—has helped him avoid academic silos and institutional groupthink that’s
Byron Auguste On Rewiring the U.S. Labor Market
When looking at the U.S. labor market, Byron Auguste sees too many job seekers screened out based on shallow signals like a bachelor’s degree, and too few ‘screened in’ by directly
Vaughn Smith on Life as a Hyperpolyglot
Vaughn Smith is fluent in eight languages but with a beginner’s grasp of at least thirty-six (and counting). His talents are so remarkable that the Washington Post did a feature story on him and
Shruti Rajagopalan talks to Daniel Gross and Tyler about Identifying and Predicting Talent
How can one identify and predict talent? On a search to answer this question and others like it, Tyler Cowen joined venture capitalist and entrepreneur Daniel Gross to explore the art and science of
Rick Rubin on Listening, Taste, and the Act of Noticing
Rick Rubin has been behind some of the most iconic and successful albums in music history, and his unique approach to production and artist development has made him one of the most respected figures
Katherine Rundell on the Art of Words
Katherine Rundell is, in a word, enthusiastic. She’s enthusiastic about John Donne. She’s enthusiastic about walking along rooftops. She’s enthusiastic about words, and stories, and food. She
Noam Chomsky on Language, Left Libertarianism, and Progress
Noam Chomsky joins Tyler to discuss why Noam and Wilhelm von Humboldt have similar views on language and liberty, good and bad evolutionary approaches to language, what he thinks Stephen Wolfram gets
Jonathan GPT Swift on Jonathan Swift
In this conversation, Tyler uses ChatGPT to interview Jonathan Swift about his views on religion, politics, economics, and literature. GPT Swift discusses his support for the Church of Ireland, his
Tom Holland on History, Christianity, and the Value of the Countryside
Historian Tom Holland joined Tyler to discuss in what ways his Christianity is influenced by Lord Byron, how the Book of Revelation precipitated a revolutionary tradition, which book of the Bible is
Yasheng Huang on the Development of the Chinese State
Yasheng Huang has written two of Tyler’s favorite books on China: Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics, which contrasts an entrepreneurial rural China and a state-controlled urban China, and
Brad DeLong on Intellectual and Technical Progress
Brad DeLong, professor of economics at UC Berkley, OG econ blogger (https://braddelong.substack.com/), and Tyler’s Harvard classmate, joins the show to discuss Slouching Towards Utopia, an
Glenn Loury on the Cover Story and the Real Story
Economist and public intellectual Glenn Loury joined Tyler to discuss the soundtrack of Glenn’s life, Glenn's early career in theoretical economics, his favorite Thomas Schelling story, the best
Peter Singer on Utilitarianism, Influence, and Controversial Ideas
Peter Singer is one of the world’s most influential living philosophers, whose ideas have motivated millions of people to change how they eat, how they give, and how they interact with each other
Seth Godin on Marketing, Meaning, and the Bibs We Wear
On good days, Seth Godin thinks about all the progress we’re making on climate change. On bad days, he thinks about the problem of racing bibs. Though pieces of paper safety-pinned to runners’
Simon Johnson on Banking, Technology, and Prosperity
What’s more intense than leading the IMF during a financial crisis? For Simon Johnson, it was co-authoring a book with fellow economist (and past guest) Daron Acemoglu. Written in six months, their
Kevin Kelly on Advice, Travel, and Tech
As the founding executive editor of Wired magazine and the author of several acclaimed books on technology and culture, Kevin Kelly has long been known for his visionary ideas and insights. But his
Anna Keay on Historic Architecture, Monarchy, and 17th Century Britain
Anna Keay is a historian who specializes in the cultural heritage of Great Britain. As the director of the Landmark Trust, she has overseen the restoration of numerous historical buildings and
Jessica Wade on Chiral Materials, Open Knowledge, and Representation in STEM
Jessica Wade is a physicist at Imperial College London who, while spending her day working on special carbon-based materials that can be used as semiconductors, has spent her nights writing nearly
