IDEAS is a deep-dive into contemporary thought and intellectual history. No topic is off-limits. In the age of clickbait and superficial headlines, it's for people who like to think.
940 Available Episodes (952 Total)Average duration: 00:54:03
May 16, 2024
How philosophy plays a vital role in Canada's biggest ethical debates
00:54:08
Arthur Schafer taught ethics to medical students in 1972. His 50-year career put the philosopher at the heart of major ethical debates like MAID. Schafer discusses the role of philosophers in addressing the increasingly complex ethical dilemmas confronting individuals and society as a whole.
May 15, 2024
Historian uses Canadian prize money to buy drones for Ukraine
00:54:09
For Timothy Garton Ash, Europe is an idea—and an ideal—worth celebrating and preserving, even against all the forces acting against it right now. The historian, who won the 2024 Lionel Gelber Prize, is using his prize money to buy drones for Ukraine in the war against Russia.
May 14, 2024
The Passion of Émile Nelligan: Canada's Saddest Poet
00:54:09
Broken violins, cruel love and absent fathers... At the end of the 19th century, Émile Nelligan wrote hundreds of tragic, passionate, sonnets and rondels on these subjects and more. And yet, most English-speaking Canadians seem never to have heard of the Quebec poet. *This episode originally aired on Jan. 9, 2024.
May 14, 2024
The Lives of Women, Readers and Alice Munro
00:54:08
On a cold, autumn night a group of women gather for their regular book club. Over snacks, wine and tea, they discuss Alice Munro's work, and how her stories illuminate some of the deepest issues in their own lives. Munro died on Monday at the age of 92.
May 13, 2024
What role can solidarity play when confronting political and social issues?
00:54:08
In a time of rapidly changing politics and never-ending crises, what role can solidarity play in confronting political and social problems to create stronger bonds among people? A group of thinkers, writers, and artists tell IDEAS how solidarity is shaping politics and culture.
May 10, 2024
The Return of Inequality | Lessons of History
00:54:08
In 2016 Jennifer Welsh delivered her CBC Massey Lectures, The Return of History — a wake-up call to those of us who may have felt a little too optimistic about the future after the fall of the Berlin Wall. IDEAS revisits the final lecture in her series, The Return of Inequality.
May 09, 2024
Massey at 60: Jennifer Welsh on how inequality is undermining liberal democracy
00:54:08
With the end of the Cold War, the struggle for peace, equality, and democracy wasn’t settled — it became more complex. As we mark the 60th anniversary of Massey College, IDEAS executive producer Greg Kelly interviews Jennifer Welsh about her 2016 CBC Massey Lectures, The Return of History — and how eight years on, the struggle continues.
May 08, 2024
Our Bodies, Our Cells: An audio exploration of life's building blocks
00:54:08
Our bodies are a great paradox. We are made up of trillions of cells that are both independent and interconnected units of life. IDEAS travels into the microscopic complexity of the human body to explore sophisticated nanomachines — and probe the deep mysteries of a subatomic world. *This episode originally aired on Jan. 31, 2024.
May 07, 2024
How a nation could be both free and equal
00:54:08
Freedom and Equality — can societies aim for both at the same time? Author Daniel Chandler argues that they can, with some help from the American political theorist, John Rawls. He tells IDEAS what a political platform based on Rawls’ books would look like.
May 06, 2024
A Reality Check on Reality TV
00:54:08
Twenty-five years ago, reality TV exploded in popularity, and the media panicked. But could shows like Love Is Blind and their like actually help make us more media literate? IDEAS examines the culture, morality, and philosophy of unscripted television.
May 16 | 00:54:08
How philosophy plays a vital role in Canada's biggest ethical debates
May 15 | 00:54:09
Historian uses Canadian prize money to buy drones for Ukraine
May 14 | 00:54:09
The Passion of Émile Nelligan: Canada's Saddest Poet
May 14 | 00:54:08
The Lives of Women, Readers and Alice Munro
May 13 | 00:54:08
What role can solidarity play when confronting political and social issues?
May 10 | 00:54:08
The Return of Inequality | Lessons of History
May 09 | 00:54:08
Massey at 60: Jennifer Welsh on how inequality is undermining liberal democracy
May 08 | 00:54:08
Our Bodies, Our Cells: An audio exploration of life's building blocks
May 07 | 00:54:08
How a nation could be both free and equal
May 06 | 00:54:08
A Reality Check on Reality TV
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