FARSIGHT

Studying the future was never a value-neutral project. The origins of modern futures research (known in the 1950s and 60s as ‘futurology’), lies in the ideological struggle between capitalism and communism during the Cold War. On both sides of the Iron Curtain, the future was something to be managed and controlled in the service of a dominant ideology. That briefly changed in the 1970s with the emergence of more global, emancipatory futures projects like the Club of Rome and the Peace Movement. Why didn’t it last? And what ideological baggage does futurism carry with it from itsformation during the Cold War?We discuss this fascinating history with historian Jenny Andersson, author of Future of the World: Futurology, Futurists, and the Struggle for the Post Cold War Imagination.Subscribe to FARSIGHT by becoming a Futures Member at the InstituteHosts: Casper Skovgaard Petersen & August Leo LiljenbergGuest: Jenny AnderssonPublished by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

Three of the Institute’s resident futurists engage in a classic scenario-planning exercise, crafting four distinct snapshots of the continent’s future along two axes of uncertainty: European cohesion and global collaboration.Subscribe to FARSIGHT by becoming a Futures Member at the InstituteAuthors: Daria Krivonos, Patrick Henry Gallen, and Carsten BeckNarration: August Leo Liljenberg (with ElevenLabs AI)Published by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

Author and existential risk researcher Luke Kemp joins us to discuss how to avoid the end of the world – and why the techno-utopianists may send us barrelling towards global disaster. Kemp’s upcoming book is Goliath’s Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse.Subscribe to FARSIGHT by becoming a Futures Member at the InstituteGuest: Luke KempHosts: Casper Skovgaard Petersen & August Leo LiljenbergPublished by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

For most of human history we believed that everything that could happen, had already happened, and would happen again – ad infinitum. The rise of novel media technologies would change that. From books to computers, the medium with which we record and process information grants us access to history's forking paths.Subscribe to FARSIGHT by becoming a Futures Member at the InstituteAuthor: Thomas MoynihanNarrator: Manya Lind (with ElevenLabs AI)Published by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

Kerstin Preuschoff and Ewa Lombard are neuroscientists at LUCID in Geneva, specializing in decision-making and uncertainty. They dive into how our brains envision the future and why some cultures handle uncertainty better than others. The duo discusses the emotional influences on decision-making and diverse cultural perspectives on time. They also explore the creative limitations of adults versus children, the impact of optimism on mental health, and the intriguing phenomenon of aphantasia, revealing the complexities of our cognitive processes.

The ‘carbon coin’, first proposed in 2019, then popularised through science fiction, is a proposal for making carbon capture and mitigation profitable – the carrot to carbon taxing’s stick. All it takes is getting the world’s governments and central banks on board. We spoke to Delton Chen, the Australian civil engineer and geo-hydrologist who first thought of the idea.Subscribe to FARSIGHT by becoming a Futures Member at the Institute.Author: Caroline ZielinskiNarration: August Leo Liljenberg (with ElevenLabs AI)Published by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

The discussion delves into the historical fears of technology undermining our cognitive abilities, from Socrates to today's concerns about AI. The growing reliance on generative AI is scrutinized for potentially dulling problem-solving and critical thinking skills. It also examines how this AI dependence compares to past technological shifts and its effects on memory retention. The conversation emphasizes the need for cognitive discipline and media literacy to navigate the information overload of our digital age.

Some problems are simply too big for nation states to solve. In this episode, we speak to historian and futurist Nils Gilman, co-author of Children of a Modest Star. Planetary challenges, such as climate change, pandemics, space junk, require radically reimagining governance - and Gilman talks to us about how this could be achieved.Nils Gilman is Executive Vice President of the Berggruen Institute and Deputy Editor of Noema Magazine.Subscribe to FARSIGHT by becoming a Futures Member at the Institute.Published by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies

With AI, all the products of human creativity become malleable. Stories and images flow seamlessly across formats – in constant flux and open to reimagination. What does this all mean for the role of human creators? Creative Lead of GenMedia Resarch at Google DeepMind, Matthieu Lorrain, answers our questions and paints a picture of a future-that-might-be.Subscribe to FARSIGHT by becoming a Futures Member at the Institute.Author: Sofie HvitvedNarrator: August Leo Liljenberg (with ElevenLabs AI)Published by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies.

Marietje Schaake, a Dutch politician and author, dives into the battle for digital sovereignty in Europe. She argues that a coup against democracy is underway, driven by tech giants gaining unprecedented influence. Schaake emphasizes the urgent need for effective regulation to prevent outsourcing vital societal functions to these companies. She also discusses how the EU can develop strong alternatives to American tech pressures, highlighting the importance of unifying responses to preserve talent and foster investment within Europe.