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Ideas

CBC
Climate Change
Human Rights
Canada
Artificial Intelligence
Empathy
Democracy
Indigenous Rights
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Universal Declaration Of Human Rights
Massey Lectures
Syria
Gaza
Architecture
Philosophy
Middlemarch
Indigenous Peoples
Social Justice
Oslo Accord
Feminism
Music

IDEAS is a place for people who like to think. If you value deep conversation and unexpected reveals, this show is for you. From the roots and rise of authoritarianism to near-death experiences to the history of toilets, no topic is off-limits. Hosted by Nahlah Ayed, we’re home to immersive documentaries and fascinating interviews with some of the most consequential thinkers of our time.

With an a... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes248Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Latest Episodes

In the 19th-century Pandita Ramabai travelled America delivering lectures on how the caste system and patriarchy shaped the trajectory of women’s lives. When she came back to her home India, the feminist explained America's customs around gender and ... more

If you inherited $120 million dollars, could you give away 75 per cent of your wealth? Abigail Disney did. She's an heiress to the Disney fortune. The philanthropist, filmmaker and activist offers an insider perspective into the twisted perils of ext... more

This podcast is about testing the limits of fairness. It's about taking to heart the meaning behind "Beyond the Pale" — a phrase referring to ideas that are so outrageous it's impossible to deal with them in reasonable terms. Follow IDEAS producer To... more

All of us are biased. We have individual biases, momentary biases, morning biases and evening biases. Our institutions are biased. Our constitutions are biased. So what to do about it? IDEAS producer Tom Howell explores the art of naming your most im... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Jimmy Calanchini
Assistant Professor of Social Psychology
University of California, Riverside
Episode: What you should do when accused of being biased
Olivier Sibony
Professor of strategy; co-author of Noise; author of bias taxonomy
HEC Paris; co-author of Noise
Episode: What you should do when accused of being biased
Jessica Nordell
Author of The End of Bias, A Beginning
Author/Journalist
Episode: What you should do when accused of being biased
Billy-Ray Belcourt
Writer from the Driftpile Cree Nation; associate professor of creative writing
University of British Columbia
Episode: Defying haunting colonial history with literary imagination
Jared Williams
Indigenous Foods Harvester, Cowichan Tribes
Cowichan Tribes
Episode: Pt 1 | What the river wants to be
Yoshua Bengio
Professor at Université de Montréal; co-president and scientific director of LawZero
LawZero
Episode: Will AI save us or damn us?
Dr. Blake Pearson
Family physician, Pete's son
Sarnia, Ontario medical community
Episode: Weekend Listen | Changing Minds: Psilocybin, Medicine, and the Limits of the Law (via White Coat, Black Art)
Pete Pearson
Person with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and end-of-life distress patient
Episode: Weekend Listen | Changing Minds: Psilocybin, Medicine, and the Limits of the Law (via White Coat, Black Art)
Susan Pearson
Pete Pearson's wife
Episode: Weekend Listen | Changing Minds: Psilocybin, Medicine, and the Limits of the Law (via White Coat, Black Art)

Host

Nahlah Ayed
Host focused on deep conversation and exploration of diverse topics.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 3.8k ratings
  • Amazing program

    This one is for the real heads

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jajagabour
    Canada22 days ago
  • Thank you

    I look forward to every episode. It’s insightful, thought provoking, and intriguing. Canadian content at its best

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Currently84
    Canadaa month ago
  • Garbage

    Government propaganda

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Bilkollector
    Canada2 months ago
  • Decline in Reading

    Fantastic points of view expressed and a must listen or read for parents and teachers.

    Thanks for this wonderful podcast and this selection.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lutlady
    Canada2 months ago
  • What a find!

    This podcast presents ideas that encourage me to puzzle things through using the strength of my own mind. The 2025 Massey Lectures were wonderful that way. They are worth scrolling back to find! Don’t miss this podcast! Enjoy!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    To-be-continued usa
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

There is a sense of nostalgia and loyalty among long-time listeners, which emphasizes the show's longstanding credibility in the realm of insightful programming.
Listeners appreciate the depth and breadth of the topics explored, finding them thought-provoking and relevant.
Many express gratitude for the insightful discussions and the quality of expert guests featured, contributing to an enriching listening experience.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#104
Canada/Trending
Apple Podcasts
#51
Canada/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#5
Canada/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#135
Switzerland/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#164
New Zealand/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What you should do when accused of being biased
Q: What is the value of tools like the IAT if they cannot predict individual behavior?
They provide a population-level map of biases that can guide organizations to design better decision processes and reduce systemic bias, rather than predicting any one person's actions.
Will AI save us or damn us?
Q: Astra, what aspect of AI keeps you up at night?
She expresses concern about the denigration of humans, the risk of anthropomorphizing machines, and the societal ease with which AI could be weaponized for domination if not properly guarded.
Science fiction isn't fact, no matter what Big Tech tells you
Q: In those interviews and that research that you did, what was the basic question you were asking?
Teresa Heffernan explains she wanted to understand what intelligence means, what 'superintelligence' means, and how fiction shapes our expectations versus the reality of AI.
Is the two-state solution dead?
Q: Given the current trajectory, is a revised path beyond the two-state paradigm feasible, and what would that look like?
The guest argues that a joint Israeli-Palestinian approach may be necessary but must originate with Palestinian leadership; any new framework should move away from zero-sum outcomes, reduce the asymmetry of power, and focus on multilateralism, rule of law, and genuine equality for both peoples.
Is the two-state solution dead?
Q: So what would it look like, Daniel Levy, to sufficiently absorb all of this into our thinking regarding the future?
Levy suggests starting from the recognition that the ritualistic push for two states is vacuous in a reality where power asymmetries and occupation persist, and instead focusing on practical steps: stop the killing, allow Palestinian political space, and shift incentives by enforcing international law and ICJ rulings to create a political environment where Palestinians can claim meaningful self-determination within a non-occupation framework.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Ideas

What is Ideas about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Expect a thought-provoking exploration of a diverse range of topics that challenge conventional thinking and invite deep reflection. Episodes span an array of subjects, from historical injustices to contemporary ethical dilemmas, facilitated by immersive documentaries and insightful interviews with influential figures. The focus on underrepresented narratives, such as women in the suffrage movement or the impacts of artificial intelligence, emphasizes the commitment to foster understanding and engagement with complex societal issues. Unique in its breadth and depth, the content likely attracts listeners who value intellectual discourse and seek to deepen their understanding of the pressing concerns of our time.

Where can I find podcast stats for Ideas?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Ideas. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Ideas and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Ideas get?

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What are the audience demographics for Ideas?

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How many subscribers and views does Ideas have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Ideas has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Ideas?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ideas:

1. The Sunday Magazine
2. The Current
3. Quirks and Quarks
4. Front Burner
5. White Coat, Black Art

How many episodes of Ideas are there?

Ideas launched 20 years ago and published 248 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Ideas?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Ideas?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Ideas from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Ideas. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Ideas?

Recent guests on Ideas include:

1. Jimmy Calanchini
2. Olivier Sibony
3. Jessica Nordell
4. Billy-Ray Belcourt
5. Jared Williams
6. Yoshua Bengio
7. Dr. Blake Pearson
8. Pete Pearson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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