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The Minefield

ABC Australia
Democracy
Artificial Intelligence
Philosophy
Ramadan
Social Media
Education
Australia
Ethics
Donald Trump
Comedy
Climate Change
Social Cohesion
Friendship
Populism
Taylor Swift
Moral Philosophy
Australian Federal Election
Australian Politics
Freedom
Gaza

In a world marked by wicked social problems, The Minefield helps you negotiate the ethical dilemmas, contradictory claims and unacknowledged complicities of modern life.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes502Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & Culture

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Artwork for The Minefield

Latest Episodes

Writing in the 1850s, at the advent of what we would come to understand as the popular press — which is to say, periodicals for mass distribution, rather than aimed at paid-up members of unions and parties, or mercantilists with particular interests ... more

When the history of artificial intelligence is written, the middle months of 2026 may well emerge as a kind of turning point. For this was the period when hundreds of programs or “AI agents” developed by the frontier lab OpenAI went “rogue” and execu... more

In our previous explorations of famous “last words” — performances or compositions delivered with a certain end in view, with a sense of either culmination or parting, or with an eye to the future and hence to what one leaves behind — we limited ours... more

Evidence has been mounting for more than a decade that social media tears away at the fabric of democratic life by eroding the conditions of deliberation, shared understanding and mutual trust; that it is the conduit of widespread misinformation, dis... more

Key Facts

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

Recent Guests

Masoud Kamgarpour
Professor of Mathematics, University of Queensland
University of Queensland
Episode: If AI can’t be brought under human control, why are we still pressing ahead?
Jade O'Regan
Program Leader, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music Practice
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Episode: Last Words: Is ‘Abbey Road’ a fitting end to the Beatles?
Jay Daniel Thompson
Senior Lecturer in Digital Communication at RMIT University
RMIT University
Episode: Does a ‘digital duty of care’ put free speech at risk?
Farid Zaid
Senior lecturer in cognitive psychology at Monash University
Monash University
Episode: Is loyalty a virtue?
Lucinda Holdforth
Author of Going On and On, Why Longevity Threatens the Future
Author and former speechwriter/advisor
Episode: Live from the Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Does longevity threaten the future?
Bernard Baffour
Associate Professor in the School of Demography at Australian National University; Associate Dean of Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Access
Australian National University
Episode: What response does Jason Arday’s life, and death, morally demand?
Craig Calhoun
University Professor of Social Sciences at Arizona State University and visiting Professor of Sociology at Princeton University
Arizona State University; Princeton University
Episode: Is opposition to data centres good news for democracy?
Renae Fomiatti
Australian Research Council Decra Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society
La Trobe University, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society
Episode: Should fat from cadavers be used for cosmetic procedures?
Yee-Fui Ng
Associate Professor of Law at Monash University
Monash University
Episode: How to protect democratic politics from the malign influence of money?

Hosts

Waleed Aly
Host; long-time commentator known for bridging philosophy, ethics, and public discourse.
Scott Stephens
Co-host; brings political analysis and philosophical framing to discussions.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.5k ratings
  • Variable quality

    Listened to the recent episode on Jason Arday and found Scott unconvincing, and the guest a poor choice with some odd ideas. Waleed is a clear thinker and gifted communicator.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Marlie8424
    Australiaa month ago
  • Could have handled this better

    Surprised by Waleed’s cold commentary of Jason Arday’s death, without sympathy and with blind faith in fellow journalists and without consideration of the nuance of the circumstances of a man who can no longer defend himself. He repeatedly dismissed the points raised by the guest Bernard Baffour. As an academic and a person of colour I was appalled by the callousness of this very sensitive, and very real issue of discrimination that exists in academia, which the guest repeatedly brought up and w... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    An270
    Australiaa month ago
  • Great topics but a little less verbosity please

    I really enjoy the topics Waleed and Scott unpack and I think the debate is excellent but I do struggle with Scott’s verbosity

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Gj_h
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Funny and wise

    A huge fan. But Scott could speak more clearly and simply. Waleed gets the tone right and is a wonderful communicator.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SimonAlfref
    Australia6 months ago
  • Thankyou

    The episode on incarceration of children was excellent and easy listening, I loved you all but the guest was terrific on this episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pakkykid
    Australiaa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Audience engagement sometimes notes host pacing and verbosity.
Guests appreciate rigorous, cross-disciplinary perspectives.
Consistently strong on ethics and governance topics.
Thoughtful, civil debate with deep analysis.
High-quality guests and challenging ideas.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Live from the Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Does longevity threaten the future?
Q: What do you think about the idea that longevity could undermine social cohesion or accelerate inequality?
Lucinda Holdforth argues that longevity should be reframed as a prompt to reinforce ethical duties toward others, including intergenerational contracts and responsibility to future generations, rather than a luxury that deepens inequality.
Should fat from cadavers be used for cosmetic procedures?
Q: Can we be clear about longevity aesthetics and how it differs from simple cosmetic enhancement?
The guest clarifies that longevity aesthetics seeks to stimulate bodily processes to sustain appearance and perceived vitality, blurring lines between appearance and health, rather than pure superficial improvement.
Should fat from cadavers be used for cosmetic procedures?
Q: What do you mean by aesthetic medicine?
A guest explains that aesthetic medicine focuses on procedures and surgeries aimed at cosmetic outcomes, not just corrective or reconstructive work, and involves a broad range from implants to non-surgical treatments.
What happens to our moral lives when we stop reading books?
Q: Can modern technology support or hinder this deep reading practice?
Technology can both hinder and help: it can enable discussion and access to texts, but excessive AI assistance or distraction can erode cognitive offloading and deep engagement unless used to supplement genuine reading and dialogue.
What happens to our moral lives when we stop reading books?
Q: Why do we need reading to have this kind of deep contemplative engagement?
Reading trains us to linger with difficult ideas, to imagine being in another mind, and to develop a broader working vocabulary that underpins complex thought and empathy, which in turn supports virtuous social living.

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 The Minefield

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

A thoughtful, rigorous conversation show that tackles ethical dilemmas at the intersection of philosophy, politics, technology, and culture. Across episodes, discussions thread through AI, democracy, regulation, literature, and social policy, often with expert guests who provide empirical or scholarly context. The format emphasizes civil, in-depth debate and consideration of long-term implications for society, governance, and personal conduct. Notable strengths include a willingness to challenge assumptions, a broad, cross-disciplinary approach, and guests who bring both academic and practical perspectives. This makes it appealing to listeners who enjoy analytical, idea-forward exchanges that connect ideas to real-world issues and policy im... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Minefield?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Minefield. 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 The Minefield and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Minefield get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Minefield?

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How many subscribers and views does The Minefield have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Minefield 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 The Minefield?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Minefield:

1. Big Ideas
2. Late Night Live — Full program podcast
3. Philosopher's Zone
4. Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald
5. Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

How many episodes of The Minefield are there?

The Minefield launched 11 years ago and published 502 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 The Minefield?

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 The Minefield?

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

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What guests have appeared on The Minefield?

Recent guests on The Minefield include:

1. Masoud Kamgarpour
2. Jade O'Regan
3. Jay Daniel Thompson
4. Farid Zaid
5. Lucinda Holdforth
6. Bernard Baffour
7. Craig Calhoun
8. Renae Fomiatti

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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