Nassim Nicholas Taleb talks about the pandemic with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Topics discussed include how to handle the rest of this pandemic and the next one, the power of the mask, geronticide, and soul in the game.

By Alice Temnick

Amit Varma of The Seen and Unseen Podcast welcomes EconTalk host and podcast Innovator Russ Roberts, who has recorded over 700 episodes featuring a wide variety of guests since 2006. Varma, an avid listener of EconTalk, graciously acknowledges Roberts’ influence on his thinking and for his model of the craft of conve...

By Amy Willis

Systemic racism. Cancel culture. Police brutality. Tumbling statues. We hear about these everywhere and all the time today. Should this make us optimistic or pessimistic about America's future? In this episode, EconTalk host Russ Roberts welcomes economist and author Glenn Loury to discuss race and inequality in Americ...

Economist and author Glenn Loury of Brown University talks about race in America with EconTalk host Russ Roberts.

By Amy Willis

You probably know someone who seems to lose themselves in virtual worlds. But how "unreal" are these virtual realities? In this episode, EconTalk host Russ Roberts welcomes game designer and Forte co-founder Josh Williams to talk about the development of real property rights and market economies in the virtual world of...

Josh Williams, co-founder and CEO of the blockchain gaming company Forte, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the state of online gaming and the potential of a blockchain-based gaming platform to create market economies with property rights within online games.

By Amy Willis

What was your first paying job? Was it as a teenager? Was it delivering newspapers by bike to driveways, babysitting, a lemonade stand, or similar informal job? What was your next job, and was it more formal, say an apprenticeship or internship--such as helping out in an office or business establishment? Or a voluntee...

Economist Robert Lerman of the Urban Institute talks about apprenticeships with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Lerman argues that apprenticeships--a combination of work experience and classroom learning--have the potential to expand opportunities for young people who don't want to attend college.

By Amy Willis

You've heard EconTalk host Russ Roberts argue that the central problem in American health care is that doctors get paid to do stuff to us, rather than take care of us. In this episode, Roberts welcomes physician and author Vivian Lee to talk about her new book, The Long Fix, to continue this conversation. Robert...

By Alice Temnick

Why don’t we wonder enough about the marvels of markets? How do markets enable peaceful, productive, global cooperation?   In this episode, EconTalk host Russ Roberts introduces and reads his poetic tribute to the rich idea of spontaneous order, “It's a Wonderful Loaf”. The poem and its animated video ...

Physician and author Vivian Lee talks about her book The Long Fix with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Lee argues that we can transform health care in the United States, though it may take a while. She argues that the current fee-for-service system incentivizes doctors to provide services rather than keep patients healthy ...

By Alice Temnick

Are you a reader who can socialize with dead people? One who engages in the form of reading that enables interaction with people who have been dead a long time? In this episode, EconTalk host Russ Roberts and philosopher Agnes Callard consider the state of humanities education, the lifelong benefits of the study of phi...

Philosopher and author Agnes Callard talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the state of philosophy, the power of philosophy, and the search for wisdom and truth. This is a wide-ranging conversation related to the question of how we learn, how to behave ethically, and the role of religion and philosophy in encoura...

By Amy Willis

In this episode, EconTalk host Russ Roberts talks with historian Diane Ravitch about her new book, Slaying Goliath. Ravitch, a former proponent of charter schools, now bemoans what she sees as their broken promise to American students. Charters promised to be R&D centers for best educational practices, which...

Author and historian Diane Ravitch of New York University talks about her book, Slaying Goliath, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Ravitch argues that the charter school movement is a failure and that it drains needed money from public schools.

By Amy Willis

What's wrong with the way capitalism is now? What problems should we try to fix, and how? In this episode of EconTalk, Rebecca Henderson joins host Russ Roberts to discuss her book, Reimagining Capitalism. Henderson argues that the current incarnation of capitalism has become imbalanced.   How should we...