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Context is a podcast that explores the historical forces shaping our modern world. Hosted by Brad Harris, who earned his PhD from Stanford in the History of Science & Technology, each episode delves into pivotal ideas, events, and figures that have influenced civilization's trajectory. From the rise of scientific thought to the challenges of globalization, Brad provides insightful analysis that connects the past to our present. Whether you're a history enthusiast or seeking deeper understanding of contemporary issues, Context with Brad Harris offers a thoughtful journey through the narratives that define us.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Historical forces shaping modernity • technology/science history • artificial intelligence ethics, meaning, evolution • civilizational rise/decline, renewal • war, geopolitics, national narratives • truth, postmodernism, universities • ecology, disease, inequality, globalizationThis podcast uses history—especially the history of science, technology, and political ideas—to explain how the modern world came to look and feel the way it does. Across episodes, the host connects big historical arcs to present-day dilemmas, frequently drawing on well-known books and scholarly research to examine how civilizations build knowledge, generate prosperity, and sometimes lose the cultural or institutional foundations that once sustained them.
A recurring theme is the tension between progress and purpose. The show often treats technological change not just as a story of innovation, but as a force that can alter what societies value, how people find meaning, and what kinds of lives seem worth living. Artificial intelligence appears as a major contemporary case study for thinking about long-run risks, cultural “bottlenecks,” and the possibility that convenience and entertainment could erode curiosity, struggle, and responsibility.
The podcast also returns to moments of crisis and recovery—pandemics, social fragmentation, war, and civilizational decline—to ask what makes renewal possible. These discussions extend into questions about national identity and “narrative warfare,” where competing stories about the past shape geopolitics and domestic cohesion, as well as debates about free speech, truth, and propaganda.
Another central thread is how knowledge is made and defended. Episodes explore the birth of “facts,” the Scientific Revolution, scientific literacy, and the relationship between science and broader culture, including conflicts over relativism, postmodernism, and the role of universities. There is also attention to hidden infrastructures of modern life—industrial processes and complex systems that enable abundance while introducing new fragilities.
Alongside these modern concerns, the show frequently widens the lens to deep prehistory, environmental history, and global historical patterns, using examples from Europe, America, and beyond to discuss inequality, governance, bureaucracy, markets, and the conditions that foster innovation. Overall, this podcast offers historically grounded reflections on how ideas and institutions shape civilization—and how today’s choices may set the trajectory for the future.