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Open to Debate

Open to Debate

Open to Debate

America is more divided than ever—but it doesn’t have to be. Open to Debate offers an antidote to the chaos. We bring multiple perspectives together for real, nonpartisan debates. Debates that are structured, respectful, clever, provocative, and driven by the facts. Open to Debate is on a mission to restore balance to the public square through expert moderation, good-faith arguments, and reasoned analysis. We examine the issues of the day with the world’s most influential thinkers spanning science, technology, politics, culture, and global affairs. It’s time to build a stronger, more united democracy with the civil exchange of ideas. Be open-minded. Be curious. Be ready to listen. Join us in being Open to Debate. (Formerly Intelligence Squared U.S.)
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Top 10 Open to Debate Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Open to Debate episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Open to Debate for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Open to Debate episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Open to Debate - Should We Eat More Processed Foods?
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11/25/22 • 53 min

Processed food is bad for you, right? Well, there’s more to this story. As new technologies create foods that can’t be made in home kitchens, such as plant-based meats and dairy products made with plant proteins, the question of whether we should all be consuming more highly processed foods is up for debate. Advocates say a substantial increase in food processing is the best way to feed growing human populations while also reducing food waste. We should trust – and invest – in food technology that can make our global food supply healthier and more sustainable, including highly or ultra-processed foods. Opponents argue that these kinds of foods are often less nutritious, and are commonly linked to adverse health indices, particularly when it comes to ultra-processing. As this debate blooms, Intelligence Squared partners with the Institute of Food Technologists to debate this question: Should We Eat More Processed Foods?

Arguing in favor of the motion is Amy Webb and Michael Gibney. Arguing against the motion is Kevin Hall and Marion Nestle. Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates.

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Open to Debate - Will Millennials Be Left Behind?
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06/30/23 • 53 min

The oldest members of the Millennial generation are reaching their forties and feel they’ve been left behind emotionally and financially. Those who agree say Millennials pay more for basic items, leading them unable to afford to buy a home or have children. Those who disagree say that not buying a house or having kids are their choices and they will soon be doing well financially. With this context, we debate: Will Millennials Be Left Behind?

Arguing Yes: Jill Filipovic, Journalist, lawyer, and author

Arguing No: Scott Winship, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center of Opportunity and Social Mobility at the American Enterprise Institute

Nick Gillespie, Editor-at-Large of Reason, is the guest moderator.

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A genetic disease runs in your family. Your doctor tells you that, should you wish to have a child, that child is likely to also carry the disease. But a new gene-editing technology could change your fate. It could ensure that your baby is -- and remains -- healthy. What do you do? It’s is not without its perils. Critics say the technology will exacerbate inequality, pressure all parents (and nations) into editing their children to stay competitive, and meddle with the most basic aspect of our humanity. So, should we use gene editing to make better babies?

Arguing in favor of the motion is geneticist George Church and futurist Amy Webb. Arguing against the motion is policy advocate Marcy Darnovsky and philosopher Françoise Baylis. Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates.

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Open to Debate - Will ChatGPT Do More Harm Than Good?
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02/24/23 • 53 min

It’s poised to “change our world.” That’s according to Bill Gates, referencing an advanced AI chatbot called ChatGPT, which seems to be all the rage. The tool, which was developed by OpenAI and backed by a company Gates founded, Microsoft, effectively takes questions from users and produces human-like responses. The "GPT" stands "Generative Pre-trained Transformer," which denotes the design and nature of the artificial intelligence training. And yet despite the chatbot’s swelling popularity, it’s also not without controversy. Everything from privacy and ethical questions to growing concerns about the data it utilizes, has some concerned about the effects it will ultimately have on society. Its detractors fear job loss, a rise in disinformation, and even the compromising long-term effects it could have on humans’ capacity for reason and writing. Its advocates tout the advantages ChatGPT will inevitably lend organizations, its versatility and iterative ability, and the depth and diversity of the data from which it pulls. Against this backdrop, we debate the following question: Will ChatGPT do more harm than good?

Arguing "Yes" is Gary Marcus (Author of "Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust" and Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University)

Arguing "No" is Keith Teare (Entrepreneur, Author, and CEO & Founder at SignalRank Corporation)

Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates.

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Open to Debate - Should We Legalize the Market for Human Organs?
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09/20/24 • 53 min

Over 103,000 people need organ donations in the U.S. Some economists and health experts wonder whether creating a free or regulated market would resolve this. Those in support argue that with proper regulations, it can be safe, ethical, and financially beneficial for both sellers and buyers. Those against this have ethical concerns and point out the risk of abuse and undermining of the medical system. Now we debate: Should We Legalize the Market for Human Organs?

Arguing Yes: Sally Satel, Psychiatrist, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and Lecturer at the Yale University School of Medicine

Arguing No: Jeremy Chapman, Editor-in-Chief of The Transplantation Journal and Past President of the International Transplantation Society

Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates

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Open to Debate - Does Color Blindness Perpetuate Racism?
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08/11/23 • 53 min

When you think about the world’s most intractable problems, racial inequality is among the most challenging. Societies have grappled not just with how to treat community members equitably in public spaces, but how to judge individuals based on qualities that extend beyond race in personal interactions. For many decades, some have pointed to “color blindness,” or treating people without regard to race or ethnicity, as the best way to promote equal opportunity. But, there are many who believe the approach downplays racial bias and silently maintains discrimination.

Arguing YES is Jamelle Bouie, Columnist for the New York Times

Arguing NO is Coleman Hughes, Host of the “Conversations with Coleman” podcast and Contributing Writer at The Free Press

Emmy Award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates.

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Open to Debate - It's Time to Redistribute the Wealth
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07/16/21 • 53 min

Economic inequality has become a linchpin of modern politics. As nations around the world face a reckoning on racial and social justice and work to combat the economic impacts of the pandemic, we ask: Is it time to redistribute the wealth? Should we address growing inequality by overhauling our tax system, expanding our social safety nets, and investing more in public initiatives like universal health care, education, and infrastructure? Or would a wealth transfer unduly punish the economic elite, destroy the promise of a meritocracy, and inevitably lead to excessive government intervention in our social and economic lives? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Open to Debate - Should the U.S. Ban TikTok?
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03/03/23 • 53 min

With one billion active users across more than 150 countries, TikTok is by many measures the world’s most successful video app. Nearly one in three Americans have an account. It is the most downloaded app since 2021. And like virtually all of social media, user privacy concerns abound. But TikTok adds an extra layer. Owned by Chinese company ByteDance, there are worries that U.S. data could be transmitted to China’s government, despite assurances from the company that it is not. Those concerns prompted President Joe Biden to ban Tiktok from government phones. More than half of U.S. states have similar controls in place. But with increased tensions between Beijing and Washington, and mounting questions of Chinese surveillance, some are calling for the U.S. to go further and ban the technology outright. Those supporting such a move often to point to a ban on another Chinese tech giant, Huawei, as an effective means of limiting China’s influence and potentially extractive technological efforts. Those who argue against it say a ban would essentially undermine what has become an important tool in the video marketplace, and that such efforts are not only political motivated, but are also easily bypassed. In that context, we debate the following: Should the U.S. Ban TikTok?

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Open to Debate - Is Anti-Zionism the New Anti-Semitism?
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10/27/23 • 53 min

Zionism — the belief that the Jewish people have a right to statehood in Israel — has been debated for decades. But facing increased anti-Semitic violence around the world, some argue that criticizing it is anti-Semitic and Israel has a historical and political right to self-determination. Others say their concerns about Israel’s actions— particularly regarding Palestinian rights and sovereignty — are legitimate. Now we debate: Is Anti-Zionism the New Anti-Semitism? (Note: This debate was originally released in 2020 and does not reflect current events.)

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Open to Debate - Should Trump Be Indicted?
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08/12/22 • 53 min

After a series of prime-time hearings from the January 6th Committee and hundreds of charges against individuals who a participated in the events of that day, the Department of Justice faces a complex political and legal question: Should it charge Donald Trump with federal crimes?

Arguing "yes" is Barbara Comstock. Arguing "no" Tom Ginsburg. Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates.

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FAQ

How many episodes does Open to Debate have?

Open to Debate currently has 407 episodes available.

What topics does Open to Debate cover?

The podcast is about Podcasts, Education and Government.

What is the most popular episode on Open to Debate?

The episode title 'Will Millennials Be Left Behind?' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Open to Debate?

The average episode length on Open to Debate is 52 minutes.

How often are episodes of Open to Debate released?

Episodes of Open to Debate are typically released every 8 days, 4 hours.

When was the first episode of Open to Debate?

The first episode of Open to Debate was released on Sep 30, 2009.

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