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PODCAST

Reading Our Times

Reading Our Times is the podcast that explores the books and the ideas that are shaping us today. It is hosted by Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at the think tank, Theos. We’re going to be talking to some of the world’s leading authors about issues like meritocracy, justice, populism, human rights, the brain, liberalism, and religion. Above all, we"ll be exploring what these books have to say about the times we live in and about the people we are. So listen with us, and we’ll introduce you to

society & culture philosophy

All Episodes

38:54

Who are the new elites? In conversation with Matt...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/12/05

"Elites have open contempt for those who are not members of their rarefied class.” So claimed no less than Rupert Murdoch, friend of PMs and presidents, in his resignation letter. Is he right? Is there a "new elite"? If so, who are they and what do they believe in? And are they really in charge in now? In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Matt Goodwin about his book Values, Voice and Virtue: The New British Politics

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36:12

Who is responsible for feeding us (well)? In...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/11/28

Our relationship with food is unhealthy. While nearly 2/3 of English adults and 1/3 of children struggle with extra weight problems, there are currently around 2,500 food banks operating in the UK. What's gone wrong? Why do we so struggle with food? And whose responsiblity is it to feed us anyway? In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to author Pen Vogler about her book Stuffed: A History of Good Food and Hard Times in Britain

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32:14

What does the end of the world look like? In...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/11/21

It’s a common fantasy. You wake up and there is no one there. Civilisation, order, humanity have crumbled. You are alone. Yet, in some parts of the world, this is not a fantasy. Human civilisation has indeed gone. What does this look like? What remains in a post-human landscape? And is this what awaits us? In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Cal Flyn about her book Islands of Abandonment: Life in the Post-Human Landscape

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36:06

What makes a philosophical mind? In conversation with...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/11/14

For over 50 years now, Dan Dennett has written highly-praised, thoughtfully and provocatively on major philosophical issues. His ideas about consciousness, evolution, freedom - and, of course, theism - have provoked wonder and anger. In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Dan Dennett, about philosophy, Darwinism, naturalism and theism.

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33:58

When is the next big crash? In conversation with...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/11/07

The age of boom and bust is over - we were told, shortly before the great crash of 2008-09. Such confidence is clearly ill-advised. Economies boom and economies bust - and there doesn't seem much we can do about it. Or is there? How can you spot a crash coming? What should you do about it when it descends on us? And how can we respond so that, even if we can't banish them forever, we can limit their frequency and impact? In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to Linda Yueh about her book The

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33:40

What is a mind? In conversation with Philip Ball

Reading Our Times ·

2023/10/31

You have a mind, right? At least, that's what you and those who know you will think. But would you say the same of your pet? What about creatures like dolphins or octopus? Aliens (assuming they exist)? Robots and AI? God? What does it mean to 'have a mind'? Are all minds the same? Why should such a costly thing appear in evolution? And if we understand our minds, does that mean we have finally understood ourselves? In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to science writer Philip Ball about

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39:06

What do we even mean by 'God'? In conversation with...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/10/24

Everyone - even those who utter it with contempt - uses the word 'God'. But we don't all use it in the same way. Indeed, you could argue that we talk past each other more often when we talk about God than when we talk about any other topic. So what do we mean when we talk about God? What does the word even mean? Is the God of the philosophers the same as the God of the religious? Or indeed the God of the atheists? In this week's episode, Nick Spencer speaks to philosopher and theologian David

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42:42

Why are Pentecostals taking over the world? In...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/07/04

Pentecostalism is the fastest growing religious movement in history, with nearly 600 million Pentecostals worldwide. How did the movement originate? What does it involve? And how will it change Christianity, society and politics in the 21st century? Nick Spencer talks to journalist and author Elle Hardy about her book Beyond Belief: How Pentecostal Christianity Is Taking Over the World

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38:26

How much does Britain cost? In conversation with Paul...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/06/27

We raise over a trillion every year in tax, and spent a hundred billion more than that. But where do we get it from? Where do we spend it? And is it used fairly, efficiently and wisely? Nick Spencer talks to Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Paul Johnson, about his book Follow the Money: How much does Britain cost?

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31:36

What are the risks of going green? In conversation...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/06/20

We need to decarbonise, and fast. But 'going green' is not straightforward, not only practically but ethically. There is great potential there, but also huge risks. What are they? Who will win? And who might lose? Nick Spencer talks to journalist and author Henry Sanderson about his book Voltrush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green

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34:11

What's happening to journalism? In conversation with...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/06/13

Journalism is bit like politics. As a rule, we say we don’t really trust either profession, and neither seems to be in particularly good health at the moment. But we definitely can’t live without them. Nick Spencer talks to former editor of the Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, about his book Breaking News: the remaking of journalism and why it matters now

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37:29

Can science make sense of life? In conversation with...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/06/06

The ability to manipulate genetic material has never been greater, and is increasing all the time. With it comes the claim that genetics can makes sense of life - controlling, directing, shaping who we are? Can it? Nick Spencer talks to Prof. Sheila Jasanoff about her book Can science make sense of life?

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37:32

What is the future of money? In conversation with...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/05/30

Money is changing – and its changing fast and in a way that many of us find bewildering. Is cash on its way out? What is fintech? What actually is a cryptocurrency, or stablecoin, or a CBDC? Are they the future? Nick Spencer talks to Prof. Eswar Prasad about his book The Future of Money: How the Digital Revolution is Transforming Currencies and Finance

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36:23

Whatever happened to the human mind? In conversation...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/05/23

The death of the self, of the soul, of the mind: time and again, science (or parascience) has declared the demise of a core dimension to human nature. But can we live without such concepts? And can they be rescued by religion, philosophy and literature? Nick Spencer talks to Marilynne Robinson about her book Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness from the Modern Myth of the Self

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46:29

Science and religion: what's the story? In...

Reading Our Times ·

2023/05/16

Science and religion have a long history. According to some, it's a history of warfare; to others they are (or at least should be) non-overlapping. Nick Spencer argues that neither view is right, and that the two have long been entangled, especially over the questions of what do we think of the human, and who gets to say. Buy a copy of Magisteria here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/9780861544615

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34:30

Why tax is fun: In conversation with Michael Keen

Reading Our Times ·

2022/12/20

The late great American novelist David Foster Wallace, who had worked in a tax office, once remarked, “The whole subject of tax policy and administration is dull. Massively and spectacularly dull.” But he was wrong, massively and spectacularly wrong. Tax is ultimately about the different ways we live together, and express our values - and there is nothing more interesting than that. In this episode, Nick Spencer talks to Michael Keen and his book Rebellion, Rascals, and Revenue.

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33:51

Do Prime Ministers do God? In conversation with Mark...

Reading Our Times ·

2022/12/13

The UK has a religoius Prime Minister - yet again! Rishi Sunak is the first Hindu to occupy the role, but there have been plenty more of the faithful before him - even in the more secular atmosphere of the 20th century. Who did God most? Who least? Who was most sincere? And for whom did the divine actually make a difference? In this episode, Nick Spencer talks to Mark Vickers about his book God In Number 10

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30:33

Whatever happened to civility? In conversation with...

Reading Our Times ·

2022/12/06

Are we are losing our civility and, with it, the space to disagree productively? Why? Where did the idea of 'civility' come from, where is it going, and why does it matter? In this episode, Nick Spencer talks to Ann Hartle about her book What happened to civility?

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35:34

Does development aid actually work? In conversation...

Reading Our Times ·

2022/11/29

We spend a lot of money on aid - although not as much as we used to. Does it work or is it, as some claim, a waste? And behind that, why do some countries develop and others not? In this episode Nick Spencer talks to Stefan Dercon about this book Gambling on Development

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33:20

Have we got evolution wrong? In conversation with...

Reading Our Times ·

2022/11/22

For all the fears over growing levels of creationism, evolution is widely accepted in the UK. But 'accepted' does not necessarily mean understood, particularly when the theory itself is subject to so many myths and fanciful interpretation. In this episode, Nick Spencer talks to Simon Conway Morris about his book From Extra-terrestrials to Animal Minds: Six Myths of Evolution

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96 results

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