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Open to Debate

Open to Debate
Donald Trump
China
United States
Israel
Mental Health
Iran
Democracy
Artificial Intelligence
Tiktok
Republican Party
Free Speech
Democratic Party
Climate Change
Russia
Public Health
First Amendment
Ukraine
Hamas
Joe Biden
Feminism

America is more divided than ever—but it doesn’t have to be. Open to Debate offers an antidote to the chaos. We bring multiple perspectives together for real, nonpartisan debates. Debates that are structured, respectful, clever, provocative, and driven by the facts. Open to Debate is on a mission to restore balance to the public square through expert moderation, good-faith arguments, and reasoned ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes483Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureNews

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Latest Episodes

From packed city council meetings to protests outside city halls, a growing backlash against Flock Safety cameras capturing images of passing vehicles and license plates to help police investigate crimes is sweeping across America. Those wanting to k... more

Once a sci-fi fantasy explored in films like “Jurassic Park,” some biological and technological breakthroughs indicate that reviving extinct creatures could become a reality. Proponents argue that the benefits include correcting mistakes of the past ... more

Amid deep political division and ahead of the midterms, what does good citizenship require? In his new book, “Live Like a Citizen,” Citizen University’s Eric Liu argues that democracy depends on citizenship as an everyday practice — learning to liste... more

Social Security has long been a cornerstone of American retirement, but as the trust fund grows closer to depletion by 2032, should the system be repaired or replaced with new standards? Those advocating for phasing it out argue its unsuitability for... more

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Recent Guests

Ross MacPhee
Paleo-mammalogist and curator at the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
Episode: Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore)
George Church
Professor of genetics at Harvard and MIT and founder of the Personal Genome Project
Harvard Medical School
Episode: Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore)
Stewart Brand
Co-founder of Revive & Restore and founder of the Whole Earth Catalog
Revive & Restore
Episode: Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore)
Lynn Rothschild
Evolutionary biologist, astrobiologist, and NASA scientist
NASA
Episode: Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore)
Samuel Bagg
Political theorist at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
Episode: Think Twice: Navigating the Election Cycle & Civic Power with Eric Liu
Eric Liu
Author; founder of Citizen University
Citizen University
Episode: Think Twice: Navigating the Election Cycle & Civic Power with Eric Liu
Gordon Pennecook
Psychology instructor at Cornell; focuses on misinformation and fake news
Cornell University
Episode: Think Twice: Navigating the Election Cycle & Civic Power with Eric Liu
Rachel Kleinfeld
Senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Episode: Think Twice: Navigating the Election Cycle & Civic Power with Eric Liu
Zach Halaszak
Economics reporter for Washington Examiner
Washington Examiner
Episode: Should We Phase Out Social Security?

Host

John Donvan
Host of Open to Debate

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 2.8k ratings
  • Must Listen

    My hats off to the open to debate crew. From the host and moderation, to the topics, audience engagement, and overall editing, an audio quality, this is truly a great listen among podcasts.

    I especially love how they represent very voices and opinions from all facets of life and existence and in good faith conversation.

    Well, done team keep it up!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Resenate
    United States2 months ago
  • Great show but…

    Enough with the reruns. There should be many engaging topics to discuss that can help you avoid posting the same debate twice within a year.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    consumer1156
    United States5 months ago
  • Intellectually stimulating & well organized and moderated...!

    Intellectually stimulating & well organized and moderated...!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Shel Lynn
    United States8 months ago
  • The most valuable podcast in America

    John Donvan is extraordinary as a moderator. The guaranteed thing we will takeaway when well qualified debaters take each other on in a respectful manner is just how nuanced and complex the issues are. Something our political climate would never admit.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dklc
    United Statesa year ago
  • You couldn’t find a better boomer than Joe Nocera??

    As a 73 year old, I’ve heard a lot of quibbling, interrupting, know-it-all curmudgeons. Put Nocera in a rocking chair on the porch to yell at passersby, but please, no more debates.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    No props 4 neurotic rich..
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Audience appreciation for nuanced, data-driven arguments from multiple perspectives.
Critiques include calls for more diverse viewpoints and live formats.
Overall, impressions highlight thoughtful discussions and high-quality guests.
Listeners praise civil discourse and strong moderation.
Some reviews note topic repetition and debate format changes.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#183
Ukraine/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#238
India/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore)
Q: Do humans have an ethical obligation to repair environmental damage through de-extinction?
Ross MacPhee says safeguards and long-term care must be addressed before any such experiments, while Stewart Brand cites efforts to restore northern white rhinos using preserved tissue and southern white rhino surrogates. Lynn Rothschild argues that de-extinction cannot substitute for conserving living species.
Should Extinct Animals Stay Extinct? (Encore)
Q: If the proposed environmental benefits could be achieved, would that justify bringing back an amended elephant that functions like a woolly mammoth?
Lynn Rothschild says no, arguing that the process could cause suffering and that de-extinction is not the right solution to climate change or ecological problems. George Church says cautious steps could establish whether it can be done humanely.
Should We Phase Out Social Security?
Q: What incremental change would you make to the program?
Romina suggests slowing growth of future benefits, capping high earners, and rethinking indexing, while Teresa advocates preserving and expanding the current earnings-related pay-as-you-go structure with targeted tweaks to improve fairness without sacrificing overall integrity.
Is the United Nations Obsolete? (Encore)
Q: Do you agree with them that we do need a global UN-like type of organization?
The debate center argues whether the UN is indispensable or outdated; some participants assert the UN's mandate remains unique and essential, while others say reform, not abolition, is needed to adapt to modern geopolitics.
Is Parenting Overrated? (Encore)
Q: Are IQ, income, educational attainment, religious preference, and other traits determined by DNA?
They are not deterministic; DNA influences probability and predisposition, but environment and experiences shape how traits express themselves, with varying degrees of heritability across traits.

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 Open to Debate

What is Open to Debate about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Open to Debate is a structured, moderator-led forum that brings diverse, well-informed voices to contested topics across politics, science, technology, and culture. Episodes typically feature two to four debaters presenting data-driven arguments, with live crossfire, audience questions, and live voting or polling to surface shifts in perception. The show emphasizes civil discourse, rigorous reasoning, and a broad, sometimes provocative range of perspectives—from elections reform and constitutional rights to bioethics, foreign policy, and cultural heritage. A standout is its habit of pairing specialists with varying viewpoints to illuminate trade-offs and foster nuanced understanding, making it useful for listeners who want clarity on comple... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Open to Debate?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Open to Debate:

1. Intelligence Squared
2. Making Sense with Sam Harris
3. Freakonomics Radio
4. The Michael Shermer Show
5. Interesting Times

How many episodes of Open to Debate are there?

Open to Debate launched 20 years ago and published 483 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 Open to Debate?

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What guests have appeared on Open to Debate?

Recent guests on Open to Debate include:

1. Ross MacPhee
2. George Church
3. Stewart Brand
4. Lynn Rothschild
5. Samuel Bagg
6. Eric Liu
7. Gordon Pennecook
8. Rachel Kleinfeld

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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