In this week's episode, recorded live at the UnHerd cafe in London, Nick Spencer speaks to Robert Skidelsky about his book The Machine Age: An Idea, a History, a Warning.
Once upon a time, we had faith in technology. Machines would make our lives easier, simpler, more comfortable. Today… well, faith in technological fixes for our problems is on the wane. Worse, it’s often replaced with fear. The companies want our data. The robots want our jobs. The government our freedoms.
In his latest book, The Machine Age, Robert Skidelsky looks at humanity’s long relationship with machines, exploring how we got here and what happens next. How serious is the risk of mass unemployment, a world of politicised deep-fakes, a Chinese-style social credit system? And what, if anything, can we do about them?
Reading our Times is the podcast from Theos think tank that engages with the books and ideas that are shaping the world today. It is hosted by Theos’ Senior Fellow, Nick Spencer. In this special live recording, Robert Skidelsky joins Nick to discuss The Machine Age: an idea, a history, a warning.
Buy a copy of The Machine Age here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Machine-Age-Idea-History-Warning/dp/0241244617
Like what you see?
Be sure to sign up to the Theos monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464
CONNECT WITH THEOS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/
CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS
The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185
Can Animals be Persons? In conversation with Mark Rowlands
Should You Choose to Live Forever? In conversation with Stephen Cave
When will AI evolve a soul? In conversation with Eve Poole
What would it mean to discover alien life (or them us)? In conversation with Andrew Davison
Should we really be playing God? In conversation with Nick Spencer
How have we changed the world - and how has it changed us? In conversation with Peter Frankopan
Who are the new elites? In conversation with Matt Goodwin
Who is responsible for feeding us (well)? In conversation with Pen Vogler
What does the end of the world look like? In conversation with Cal Flyn
What makes a philosophical mind? In conversation with Dan Dennett
When is the next big crash? In conversation with Linda Yueh
What is a mind? In conversation with Philip Ball
What do we even mean by 'God'? In conversation with David Bentley Hart
Why are Pentecostals taking over the world? In conversation with Elle Hardy
How much does Britain cost? In conversation with Paul Johnson
What are the risks of going green? In conversation with Henry Sanderson
What's happening to journalism? In conversation with Alan Rusbridger
Can science make sense of life? In conversation with Prof. Sheila Jasanoff
What is the future of money? In conversation with Eswar Prasad
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
강유원의 책담화冊談話
The Art of Manliness
History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps
Dear Hank & John
Alan Watts Being in the Way