The Open Mind, Hosted by Alexander Heffner
The Open Mind is a thoughtful excursion into the world of ideas across media, politics, technology, the arts and all realms of civic life.
Episodes
546 episodes
When We Care About Climate—and Not
Climate experts Ellen Prager and Dave Jones discuss perceptions and realities about the weather.
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28:26
Discovering Dinosaur Extinction and the Atom Bomb
"Collisions" author Alec Nevala-Lee discusses his landmark biography of physicist Luis Alvarez.
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28:21
Freedom, Inflation, and Deflation
MIT scholar Yasheng Huang discusses the inflation landscape in China versus the United States and the Needham Question.
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28:33
Which Sex Is Stronger?
"The Stronger Sex" author Starre Vartan discusses the latest research on women's mental and physical capacities.
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28:31
From Russia With...
In a special series recorded at the One Young World conference in Munich, Germany, financier and human rights advocate Bill Browder discusses the future of Russia and Putin. One Young World is a global community of young leaders whose annual su...
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27:30
Democracy in the Global South
In a special series recorded at the One Young World conference in Munich, Germany, South Africa Public Protector Thuli Madonsela discusses the nation's constitution and economy. One Young World is a global community of young leaders whose annua...
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28:30
Social Media as Insidious and Predatory Manipulation
In a special series recorded at the One Young World conference in Munich, Germany, Nobel Prize laureate Maria Ressa discusses digital disinformation networks. One Young World is a global community of young leaders whose annual summit maps solut...
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28:19
Classroom 4
"A Wall Is Just a Wall" author Reiko Hillyer discusses an innovative teaching model.
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28:08
The Clerk of the Court
"The Jailhouse Lawyer" coauthors Sophie Cull and Calvin Duncan discuss the campaign for justice reform.
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28:23
The Retroactivity Dilemma
FAMM senior counsel Mary Price discusses one of the most salient issues in American justice reform.
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28:24
Crypto or Perish?
Venture capitalist Tim Draper discusses the future of the crypto industry and currencies.
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28:25
Missionaries, Vigilantes & Public Safety
Investigative journalist Ross Halperin discusses his debut book "Bear Witness: The Pursuit of Justice in a Violent Land."
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28:18
How to Overcome a Liberal Arts Backlash
St. John's College president J. Walter Sterling discusses the meaning and nomenclature of the liberal arts.
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28:31
Copaganda and Feartopia
Civil Rights Corps executive director Alec Karakatsanis discusses his book "Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News."
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28:19
What Does A Tariff-Driven Economy Mean?
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas president emeritus Robert Kaplan discusses the historical and contemporary U.S. economy.
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28:28
The Vagina Business
"The Vagina Business" author Marina Gerner discusses long overdue innovation in women's reproductive health.
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28:15
Tokyo Vice and Virtue
Investigative reporter Jake Adelstein discusses the Japanese government, yakuza, and fight against corruption.
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28:29
The Ruins of Winner-Take-All Governance and the Democratic Party's Dark Age
"Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop" author Lee Drutman discusses the urgency of electoral reform.
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28:22
The Future of American Education
GWU president emeritus Stephen Trachtenberg discusses the future of American education.
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27:43
The Big Bang and Us
Science journalist Dan Levitt discusses his book "What's Gotten Into You: The Story of Your Body's Atoms, from the Big Bang Through Last Night's Dinner."
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27:37
The Threat to Discovery
University of Wisconsin Institute for Discovery director Jo Handelsman discusses threats to scientific research.
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28:28
Cures and Shams
Investigative journalist Charles Piller discusses his new book "Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s.”
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27:56