Joel Mokyr
Economic historian and professor at Northwestern University and Tel Aviv University, awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for work on the prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress.
Best podcasts with Joel Mokyr
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425 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 53min
666. This Is How Progress Happens
Joel Mokyr, economic historian and Nobel laureate who studies the roots of sustained technological growth. He argues culture fuels innovation and traces the industrial revolution to knowledge convergence. He discusses why GDP misses many welfare gains, the roles of immigration and risk-tolerant societies, and how AI, education, and institutional lag shape future progress.
19 snips
Nov 27, 2016 • 36min
a16z Podcast: Knowledge Builds Technology and Technology Builds Knowledge -- with Joel Mokyr
In this discussion, Joel Mokyr, a Northwestern professor specializing in economic history and technological innovation, delves into the roots of the Industrial Revolution and its similarities to today's tech advancements. He highlights how a competitive marketplace of ideas fueled historical progress, emphasizing the importance of skepticism and communication. Mokyr draws intriguing parallels between the Republic of Letters and today's digital networks, advocating for interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle major challenges like climate change, while warning against the stagnation that can arise from resisting innovation.
