Are Humans Building Our End? The Debate Around Artificial Intelligence & Its Conscious State
We speak with two experts about this ongoing debate and what challenges lie ahead for these quickly evolving systems.
Philosophy and Ethics Sub-categories:
Viewpoints Explained: Alabama Will Soon Be The First To Use This New Execution Method
Kenneth Eugene Smith has been on death row since 1990 and his next scheduled execution is late next month. But now, he’s opting for a new method that’s never been tested before in this setting.
TikTok Isn’t the Only App With a Data Privacy Problem
We speak with two experts about the fast-evolving social media landscape and how consumers can better protect themselves from data mining.
Culture Crash: A Tough Month for the NFL Ahead of the Super Bowl
Ahead of the year’s biggest game, we discuss the state of the NFL following the serious injury suffered by Bills player Damar Hamlin.
Is Living in the Age of the Internet a Right or Privilege?
Dr. Merten Reglitz explains the pros and cons of government-subsidized internet.
Exploring the Questions That Have No Right Answer
Dr. Gregory Stock who’s made a living asking questions that sometimes have no hard and fast answers. In all reality, sometimes the process of coming to an answer is often more important than any one answer itself.
Decisions, Decisions: Understanding Conformity Bias
Ever agree in the moment, but then look back and wish you spoke up and said something? This action of wanting to go with the flow is a very real phenomenon.
Culture Crash: The Last of Us & The Last of Us Part II
The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II both have intricate storylines set in a post-zombie apocalypse world that makes for adventurous and exciting game play. We dive into the creative development that sets this game apart.
Regaining Digital Privacy
While it may seem like people have some control over privacy settings, this is merely an illusion argues law professor Neil Richards. This week on Viewpoints - we highlight the lack of privacy online and why consumers should expect better from corporations and their government.
Culture Crash: Artists’ Shared Inspiration
How do artists find inspiration for a new song on an album, or a new idea for a movie? We discuss how great art is more interconnected than you may think.
The Role We Each Play in Slowing Climate Change
Despite the pandemic, carbon emissions are at an all-time high, topping records over the past 3.6 million years. For years, scientists have warned of humans approaching a critical tipping point of global warming – and it’s here. Sustainability scientist Dr. Kimberly Nicholas joins Viewpoints this week to break down the current climate landscape and explain …
Culture Crash: The Tumultuous Legacy of Tiger Woods
HBO’s new documentary Tiger chronicles the roller coaster golf career and personal life of Tiger Woods. Is It overhyped or worth the watch?
Dot Con: Pranking the Authors of Spam Emails
Author and comedian, James Veitch has made a name for himself by replying to these scams and continuing the conversation, effectively wasting the scammers time as much as they waste ours. We speak with him about his trade and the major telltale signs to look out for in a scam.
The Business of Lab-Grown Meat
If the taste, texture and everything else exactly resembled traditionally farmed meat, would you try it out? Lab-grown, cell-cultured chicken, beef and pork is set to hit the mass market in just a few years. We breakdown the science and key players behind this new technology.
Culture Crash: Dave Eggers: A Leader In Literary Writing (2020)
Author Dave Eggers has been a cult hero since his 2000 memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius took readers on a wild and enthralling ride. Now, almost two decades later, he’s still producing novels that push the boundaries of dialogue and prose.
Inside Look: Why Generalism Matters
Amirah Zaveri, the producer of Viewpoints Radio, asks New York Times bestselling author David Epstein about his unique career path and what he learned along the way.
Casting a Wide Net: Why Generalism Matters
In today’s fast-paced world, it can be tough to start anew or slow down and reexamine what you’re working towards. We speak with journalist and author David Epstein who argues that switching focuses and developing a wide range of skillsets ultimately leads to greater success.
Using YA Fiction to Help Young People Process Big Issues
For a few decades now, teens have flocked to YA novels like The Hunger Games or The Fault in Our Stars. Why are they so popular? We talk to two novelists who say young adult fiction can help teens consider big issues and life and ‘practice’ their responses to real-world problems like violence and drugs.
A Fantasy Series that Aims at Teaching Children to Consider Some Big Questions
We grow up hearing nursery rhymes and fairy tales that deal with good and evil. All of us fondly remember the cartoons of our youth and the stories we grew up with. We talk to Soman Chainani about authoring a new entry into the catalogue of mythology and his attempt to course-correct the lessons more modern stories have been teaching our children.
Culture Crash: Netflix’s Russian Doll
Netflix’s new show, Russian Doll is an ethical, mysterious, funny drama modeled after the Groundhog Day “waking up in the same moment” plot. It’s an especially great binge-watch.
Facing Our Own Mortality: How to plan for a more peaceful death for yourself and loved ones
Facing the prospect of death isn’t pleasant, but it is the reality of being human. We talk to two experts about how people can get their affairs in order both personally and medically to ensure their wishes are respected and their loved ones can properly grieve if the unthinkable happens.
Considering the Precarious Future of AI
Between Alexa, Google and Siri, artificial intelligence is here. But looking forward, AI will only get more and more intelligent. Author and researcher James Rollins discusses why AI has long scared scientists and storytellers, and what the future of our technology could look like if we aren’t careful.
China’s Family Policies & Their Impact on America
In America, we may have an idea of how China’s one-child and two-child policies work, but the truth is more complicated than many of us imagine. We talk to journalist and author Vanessa Hua about how these policies have rippled all the way into America.
Cybercrime in Real LIfe
We’ve all seen how our fiction portrays cybercrime, but what does it really look like? Jonathan Lusthaus, the director of the Human Cybercriminal Project at the University of Oxford, joins the show to talk about the real crimes committed online and what, if anything, we can do to protect ourselves.
