Richard Butler, a retired Australian diplomat and former UN ambassador, shares his extensive experience in nuclear disarmament. He discusses the major treaties like the NPT and CTBT, highlighting Australia's nuanced stance on nuclear diplomacy. Butler recounts humorous and poignant anecdotes from negotiations, including his memorable Moscow trip. He reflects on the global rise of nuclear-armed states and the challenges of multilateralism. The conversation emphasizes the importance of listening and innovative tactics in effective diplomacy.

Larry Summers, a former US Treasury Secretary and current Harvard professor, shares his expertise on the impact of artificial intelligence on economic growth. He draws compelling parallels between AI and past industrial revolutions, emphasizing its potential for both automation and enhancing research. Summers discusses the intricacies of US economic dynamics, stressing the importance of technological governance. He also contrasts the perspectives of technologists and economists, highlighting the need for collaboration in shaping future AI policies.

Nassim Taleb, a trader and essayist known for his deep insights on uncertainty, dives into the fascinating world of extremism and probability. He explores the significance of fat tails in financial markets and critiques traditional investment models. The discussion highlights the complexities of behavioral economics, the pitfalls of forecasting, and the importance of distinguishing correlation from causation. Taleb also reflects on historical biases in warfare data and the future of creative writing, weaving a rich tapestry of thought-provoking ideas.

Robert Boyd, an anthropologist known for the Dual-Inheritance Theory, and Peter Richerson, an expert at the crossroads of culture and genetics, delve into how culture has shaped human evolution. They discuss the significant role of tool use among early hominins in cognitive development. The duo highlights how cultural practices influenced genetic evolution, especially in farming and urban transitions. They also explore the unexpected effects of climate on brain size and the implications of cultural dynamics in modern communities, sparking a fascinating dialogue on human adaptability.

Lucy Turnbull, urbanist and first female Lord Mayor of Sydney, discusses strategic city planning and housing crisis solutions. Topics include Sydney vs Melbourne urbanism, balanced development strategies, virtual reality for innovation, influential streets, and innovative housing solutions.

Economist Bryan Caplan discusses housing deregulation, immigration's impact on affordability, contrasting academia with bloggers, productivity benefits of deregulation, urban development challenges, and legal implications of zoning regulations.

In this special episode, the host reflects on the progress and challenges of the podcast in 2023. They discuss the importance of partnerships and the themes covered. They explore the concept of pairs and dyads in advancing science and creativity. They also touch on Give Well, an organization that helps donors find impactful charitable organizations. The host shares their surprise encounter with a book about radical uncertainty. They discuss their persistence in interviewing Carmen and their preparation process. They delve into the devastating fire bombing of Tokyo and the nature of nuclear weapons. The speaker reflects on wild moments and the potential of full video episodes.

Physicist David Deutsch and psychologist Steven Pinker engage in their first public dialogue, discussing AGI, P(Doom), and enemies of progress. They explore topics like the misconceptions of AGI, programming goals in AI systems, intuition on human disablement, assigning probabilities to subjective feelings, prediction markets, cognitive hygiene, stock market information, children's cognitive development, secrecy in research, and the slowdown in scientific progress.

Shruti Rajagopalan, Indian-American economist and host of the Ideas of India podcast, discusses spotting underrated talent for Emergent Ventures India. They explore India's historical empires and cultural differences, the trade-off between socialist redistribution and individual rights in land reform, and the challenges of talent scouting and incubation infrastructure in India. They also touch on remote work assessments, the complexity of Indian classical music, and the misconceptions of Western venture capitalists investing in India.

Raghuram Rajan, Indian economist and Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago, discusses the causes of the global financial crisis, the risks in the financial system, and the challenges of targeting financial stability in monetary policy.