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Past Present Future is a bi-weekly History of Ideas podcast with David Runciman, host and creator of Talking Politics, exploring the history of ideas from politics to philosophy, culture to technology. David talks to historians, novelists, scientists and many others about where the most interesting ideas come from, what they mean, and why they matter.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Revolutionary ideas • History and philosophy • Political films • American elections • Thinking machines • Counterfactual history • Discussions with historians, philosophers, scientists"Past Present Future" is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by David Runciman, focusing on the History of Ideas. The show explores a wide array of topics, ranging from politics and philosophy to culture and technology, drawing insights from historians, novelists, scientists, and other experts. The aim is to uncover the origins, significance, and impact of ideas throughout human history. This podcast is structured into multiple series, each taking a closer look at influential themes and events.
One of the main series delves into "The History of Revolutionary Ideas," examining pivotal movements and figures that have reshaped societies, such as the American and English Revolutions, the Industrial and Scientific Revolutions, Humanism, and the Reformation. Other series, like "The History of Bad Ideas," critique concepts that have had detrimental impacts, such as the Nobel Prizes or televised leadership debates. The podcast also has explored historical counterfactuals, pondering alternate outcomes to significant historical events.
Another notable series focuses on "The Great Political Films," analyzing classic films with political narratives and their ongoing relevance. This exploration extends to how cinema provides insights into political themes, fears, and aspirations across different eras. Additionally, the podcast examines the history of artificial intelligence and thinking machines, beginning with early cinematic representations and extending through literature and philosophical discourse.
Overall, "Past Present Future" offers a comprehensive and critical examination of how ideas, both positive and negative, have influenced history and continue to shape contemporary and future societies. It encourages listeners to consider the complex interplay of ideas, culture, and society, highlighting the enduring relevance of these discussions in understanding human progress and challenges.
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: 1848: The Liberal Revolution w/Chris Clark 2025-Mar-20 56 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Bayesian Revolution w/David Spiegelhalter 2025-Mar-16 61 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Slave Uprising: The Haitian Revolution 2025-Mar-13 58 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: French Revolution 3: Paine 2025-Mar-09 59 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: French Revolution 2: Robespierre 2025-Mar-06 54 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: French Revolution 1: Sieyès 2025-Mar-02 58 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: American Revolution 2: The Constitution 2025-Feb-27 64 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: American Revolution 1: The Declaration of Independence 2025-Feb-23 61 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Industrial Revolution 2025-Feb-20 54 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: English Revolution 2: 1688 2025-Feb-16 57 minutes |
The History of Revolutionary Ideas: English Revolution 1: Civil War2025-Feb-13 57 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Scientific Revolution 2025-Feb-09 66 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: The Reformation (part 1): Luther 2025-Feb-06 57 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Humanism 2025-Feb-02 60 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Magna Carta 2025-Jan-30 67 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Islam 2025-Jan-26 63 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Christianity w/Tom Holland 2025-Jan-23 57 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: Socrates w/Agnes Callard 2025-Jan-19 54 minutes |
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The History of Revolutionary Ideas: What Makes a Revolutionary Idea? 2025-Jan-16 55 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: The Zone of Interest 2025-Jan-12 58 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Zero Dark Thirty 2025-Jan-09 61 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: The Social Network 2025-Jan-05 56 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: There Will Be Blood 2025-Jan-02 54 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Fight Club w/ Helen Lewis 2024-Dec-29 58 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Do The Right Thing 2024-Dec-26 51 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Kagemusha 2024-Dec-22 54 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Jeanne Dielman 2024-Dec-19 54 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: The Candidate w/Chris Smith 2024-Dec-15 58 minutes |
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The Great Political Films: Z 2024-Dec-12 60 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Televised Leadership Debates 2024-Dec-08 59 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Party Members Choosing Leaders 2024-Dec-05 56 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Steady State Theory 2024-Dec-01 60 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: The End of History 2024-Nov-28 56 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Modernisation! 2024-Nov-24 58 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: The Marketplace of Ideas 2024-Nov-21 61 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: Nobel Prizes 2024-Nov-17 56 minutes |
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The History of Bad Ideas: The Silent Majority 2024-Nov-14 58 minutes |
American Elections: 2024: The Meaning of Trump’s Triumph2024-Nov-09 84 minutes |
The Great Political Films: The Battle of Algiers2024-Nov-07 57 minutes |
The Great Political Films: Dr Strangelove & Fail Safe w/ Jill Lepore2024-Nov-03 54 minutes |
The Great Political Films: The Leopard w/ Lucia Rubinelli2024-Oct-31 57 minutes |
The Great Political Films: The Manchurian Candidate2024-Oct-27 63 minutes |
The Great Political Films: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp2024-Oct-24 54 minutes |
The Great Political Films: Citizen Kane2024-Oct-20 56 minutes |
The Great Political Films: Mr Smith Goes to Washington2024-Oct-17 56 minutes |
The Great Political Films: La Grande Illusion2024-Oct-13 54 minutes |
Michael Lewis on Sam Bankman-Fried and Effective Altruism2024-Oct-10 60 minutes |
American Elections: 2024: Is Anyone Winning?2024-Oct-06 59 minutes |
Thinking About Thinking Machines: Monk & Robot2024-Oct-03 60 minutes |
Thinking About Thinking Machines: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?2024-Sep-29 59 minutes |
Thinking About Thinking Machines: Isaac Asimov’s ‘Franchise’2024-Sep-26 57 minutes |
Thinking About Thinking Machines: Metropolis2024-Sep-22 56 minutes |
What if… Scotland Had Voted for Independence?2024-Sep-19 61 minutes |
What if… The Berlin Wall Hadn’t Fallen?2024-Sep-15 57 minutes |
What if… The 1919 Paris Peace Conference Had Actually Kept the Peace?2024-Sep-12 59 minutes |
What If… The Russian Revolution Hadn’t Been Bolshevik?2024-Sep-08 59 minutes |
What If… Franz Ferdinand Had Survived Sarajevo?2024-Sep-05 55 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Hamilton2024-Sep-01 58 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: American Wife2024-Aug-31 57 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: The Line of Beauty2024-Aug-30 55 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: The Handmaid’s Tale2024-Aug-29 55 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Midnight’s Children2024-Aug-28 56 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Atlas Shrugged2024-Aug-27 61 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Mother Courage & Her Children2024-Aug-26 56 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: The Time Machine2024-Aug-25 58 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde2024-Aug-24 53 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Phineas Redux2024-Aug-23 56 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Middlemarch Part 22024-Aug-22 53 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Middlemarch Part 12024-Aug-22 52 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Fathers and Sons2024-Aug-21 56 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Mary Stuart2024-Aug-20 57 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Gulliver’s Travels2024-Aug-19 57 minutes |
Fifteen Fictions for Summer re-release: Coriolanus2024-Aug-18 59 minutes |
What If… The Vietnam War Had Ended in 1964?2024-Aug-18 60 minutes |
What If… Wallace not Truman Had Become US President in 1945?2024-Aug-15 62 minutes |
What If… The French Revolution Had Happened in China?2024-Aug-11 56 minutes |
What If… Science Counterfactuals w/ Adam Rutherford2024-Aug-08 60 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Tim Rice on Evita2024-Aug-04 52 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Helen Lewis on To Kill A Mockingbird2024-Aug-01 63 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Lea Ypi on The Wild Duck2024-Jul-28 62 minutes |
The Great Political Poems2024-Jul-25 57 minutes |
American Elections: The Republican Convention2024-Jul-21 63 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Hamilton2024-Jul-18 58 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: American Wife2024-Jul-14 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: The Line of Beauty2024-Jul-11 57 minutes |
UK General Elections: 20242024-Jul-06 58 minutes |
UK General Elections: 20192024-Jul-04 57 minutes |
UK General Elections: 19972024-Jul-03 59 minutes |
UK General Elections: 19792024-Jun-30 63 minutes |
UK General Elections: 19452024-Jun-27 59 minutes |
UK General Elections: 19062024-Jun-23 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: The Handmaid’s Tale2024-Jun-20 56 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Midnight’s Children2024-Jun-16 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Atlas Shrugged2024-Jun-13 62 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Mother Courage and Her Children2024-Jun-09 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: The Time Machine2024-Jun-06 59 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde2024-Jun-02 54 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Phineas Redux2024-May-30 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Middlemarch (part 2)2024-May-26 54 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Middlemarch (part 1)2024-May-23 55 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Mesmerism2024-May-19 56 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: The Death of the Author2024-May-16 52 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Anti-Suffragettes2024-May-12 57 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Taxonomy2024-May-09 50 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Antisemitism2024-May-05 53 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Facebook Friends2024-May-02 53 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: The Gold Standard2024-Apr-28 48 minutes |
The History of Bad Ideas: Eugenics2024-Apr-25 58 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Liberation Movements2024-Apr-21 59 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Existentialism and Psychoanalysis2024-Apr-18 54 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Anarchism and Nihilism2024-Apr-14 53 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: What is the Free Market?2024-Apr-11 53 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Kant, Enlightenment and Peace2024-Apr-07 57 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/ Lea Ypi: Machiavelli and Political Liberty2024-Apr-04 53 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: The Ancients - Socrates, Seneca & Jesus2024-Mar-31 57 minutes |
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Why Does It Matter?2024-Mar-28 59 minutes |
Introducing PPF+2024-Mar-27 3 minutes |
American Elections: 20082024-Mar-24 60 minutes |
American Elections: 19802024-Mar-21 52 minutes |
American Elections: 19362024-Mar-17 51 minutes |
American Elections: 19122024-Mar-14 49 minutes |
American Elections: 18962024-Mar-10 55 minutes |
American Elections: 18602024-Mar-07 61 minutes |
American Elections: 18282024-Mar-03 54 minutes |
American Elections: 18002024-Feb-29 58 minutes |
Q & A: Shakespeare, Gulliver and Trump2024-Feb-25 46 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Fathers and Sons2024-Feb-22 57 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Mary Stuart2024-Feb-15 58 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Gulliver’s Travels2024-Feb-08 58 minutes |
The Great Political Fictions: Coriolanus2024-Feb-01 61 minutes |
The End of Enlightenment2024-Jan-25 61 minutes |
Rory Stewart: What Does it Mean to be a 21st-Century Tory?2024-Jan-18 51 minutes |
The End of the UK?2024-Jan-11 62 minutes |
History of Ideas 12: Ta-Nehisi Coates2024-Jan-05 55 minutes |
History of Ideas 11: Umberto Eco2024-Jan-04 50 minutes |
History of Ideas 10: David Foster Wallace2024-Jan-03 55 minutes |
History of Ideas 9: Joan Didion2024-Jan-02 53 minutes |
History of Ideas 8: Susan Sontag2024-Jan-01 56 minutes |
History of Ideas 7: James Baldwin2023-Dec-31 52 minutes |
History of Ideas 6: Simone Weil2023-Dec-30 54 minutes |
History of Ideas 5: George Orwell2023-Dec-29 54 minutes |
History of Ideas 4: Virginia Woolf2023-Dec-28 53 minutes |
History of Ideas 3: Thoreau2023-Dec-27 57 minutes |
History of Ideas 2: Hume2023-Dec-26 61 minutes |
History of Ideas 1: Montaigne2023-Dec-25 53 minutes |
History of Ideas Q&A2023-Dec-21 54 minutes |
The Art of the Essay2023-Dec-14 54 minutes |
Something’s Got to Give2023-Dec-07 59 minutes |
Democracy Q&A w/ Lea Ypi2023-Nov-30 60 minutes |
History of Ideas: Ta-Nehisi Coates2023-Nov-23 56 minutes |
Democracy vs Nationalism w/ Lea Ypi2023-Nov-16 55 minutes |
Jill Lepore on Trump, Guns and the Red Mirage2023-Nov-09 56 minutes |
The Leviacene: Defining Our Times2023-Nov-02 56 minutes |
History of Ideas: Umberto Eco2023-Oct-26 51 minutes |
Rethinking Democracy w/ Lea Ypi2023-Oct-19 55 minutes |
Mary Beard on Caesar, Augustus & Zuckerberg2023-Oct-12 53 minutes |
Zadie Smith on Dickens, Hypocrisy & Justice2023-Oct-05 50 minutes |
History of Ideas: David Foster Wallace2023-Sep-28 56 minutes |
Animal Farm and Other Allegories2023-Sep-21 53 minutes |
The Other 9/11: Chile & Allende2023-Sep-14 66 minutes |
The Handover2023-Sep-07 55 minutes |
The Great Essays: Q & A2023-Sep-03 57 minutes |
History of Ideas: Joan Didion2023-Aug-31 55 minutes |
History of Ideas: Susan Sontag2023-Aug-24 58 minutes |
History of Ideas: James Baldwin2023-Aug-17 54 minutes |
History of Ideas: Simone Weil2023-Aug-10 56 minutes |
History of Ideas: George Orwell2023-Aug-03 55 minutes |
History of Ideas: Virginia Woolf2023-Jul-27 55 minutes |
From Lincoln to Trump: What Happened to the Republican Party?2023-Jul-20 61 minutes |
History of Ideas: Thoreau2023-Jul-13 59 minutes |
Whose Space is it Anyway?2023-Jul-06 55 minutes |
Why J.S. Mill Matters w/ Tara Westover2023-Jun-29 63 minutes |
Are There Too Many People?2023-Jun-22 60 minutes |
History of Ideas: Hume2023-Jun-15 62 minutes |
Rawls, Capitalism & Justice2023-Jun-08 61 minutes |
Live Special: The American Century w/ David Miliband2023-Jun-01 57 minutes |
AI: Can the Machines Really Think?2023-May-25 55 minutes |
History of Ideas: Montaigne2023-May-18 55 minutes |
Living Behind the Iron Curtain2023-May-11 57 minutes |
How Dallas Saw the Future2023-May-04 54 minutes |
The Novel that Unravels Democracy2023-Apr-27 56 minutes |
Introducing Past Present Future2023-Apr-12 4 minutes |