Episodes
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The Ethics of Migration with Ken Isaacs and Nazanin Ash
Nazanin Ash CEO of Welcome.US is joined in conversation by Ken Isaacs of Samaritan's purse, moderated by Krista Kartson. As professionals with combined decades in international aide, the three discuss the ethics of migration. Is there a responsible limit to migration? What does a government owe…
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AI and Human Dignity with Philosopher Ali Hasan
Dr. Ali Hasan, professor of philosophy at the University of Iowa sat down with us at Tallgrass: The Des Moines Festival of Ideas to discuss the ethics of AI. -Should AI change the way we think about ourselves and our worth as human beings? -Can AI be used to make moral decisions? -Is there a…
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No. 12, Author Neil King on Why You Should Walk Out Your Front Door
Think of your morning commute, or a trip you take all the time by car or bus. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to walk it? What it would it be like to slow down to the speed of human legs and notice all of the people, plants, and things you pass each morning? What would you learn...
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No. 11 Why Democracy? with Shadi Hamid
About a hundred years ago, Americans were gathering together, in the face of fascism and communism, to ask "Are we done with democracy?" At that time, alternatives to democracy were live options. Today, we're asking these questions again. What do we do when democracy delivers outcomes we don't...
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No. 10 with Sean Sherman, The Sioux Chef
In this episode, we talk with Chef Sean Sherman, winner of the James Beard Award for best cookbook and best new restaurant. Chef Sean has been at the forefront of a movement to creatively rediscover the traditional ingredients and food traditions indigenous to North America. Using only…
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No. 9 with Author, Writer, and Magazine Editor Anne Snyder
Martin Luther King Jr. was an unfaithful husband and a plagiarist, Abraham Lincoln shared many of the prejudices of his time, and many of the women who lead the charge for suffrage in America were vocally racist. There is almost no figure so revered that we can’t find some fault, major or minor…
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No. 8 How Modern Media is Shaping Us, with Media Scholar Zac Gershberg
Democracy is not just a system of government, it is also a culture of free communication, one that comes with inherent risk. In an open, democratic society, communication can be a way of building relationships and sharing knowledge, but it can equally be a means of stoking tension, violence,...
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No. 7 Michael Lamb on the Work of Hope in a Time of Despair
In the last year, Gallup has conducted a slew of polls to take the temperature on American hope, and the results are clear–Americans are more likely to say they are “extremely worried” about the future than that they are hopeful for the future. This might not come as a surprise, given how many of...
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#6 Rabbi, Scholar, Podcaster Zohar Atkins on Religion in the Public Sphere
Today we're joined by Zohar Atkins, a rabbi, scholar, theologian, poet, podcast host, and more. Zohar shares his insights, drawing on his own tradition, but in a way accessible to people outside of that tradition, on the changing place of faith in the public sphere. We talk about why people are...
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# 5 Philosopher Andy Gustafson on Finding Meaning and Dignity in Work
Dr Andrew Gustafson is a philosopher, a professor of business ethics at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business, a business owner, and a home renovator. I’ve invited Andy on today because, as you can tell from his titles, he’s got a really well-rounded view of work. He’s thought hard...
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#3 Michael Sacasas on How Our Digital Technology is Changing Us
Michael Sacasas, who writes under the pen name LM Sacasas, is a widely respected commentator on digital technology and the way it is shaping our habits, our perceptions of the world, and the nature of our communities. In this interview, we talk with Michael about the importance of agency…
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Episode 2: Yuval Levin on Seeing Our Neighbors as Fully Human
In this episode, we talk with Yuval Levin, founder and editor of National Affairs, a quarterly magazine of political thought, and director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. He is the author of at least two books very relevant to our theme this...
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Gracy Olmstead and Finding Roots in a Rootless Age
In this episode, we talk with Gracy Olmstead, journalist and author of the book "Uprooted" on what it means to put down roots, take responsibility for a place, and find a sense of home in an age when we are so mobile, and so much of our life is lived online.