Ideas
CBC
IDEAS is a place for people who like to think. If you value deep conversation and unexpected reveals, this show is for you. From the roots and rise of authoritarianism to near-death experiences to the history of toilets, no topic is off-limits. Hosted by Nahlah Ayed, we’re home to immersive documentaries and fascinating interviews with some of the most consequential thinkers of our time.With an award-winning team, our podcast has proud roots in its 60-year history with CBC Radio, exploring the IDEAS that make us who we are. New episodes drop Monday through Friday at 5pm ET.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 3, 2026 • 54min
Wait, so addiction might not be a brain disease?
Hannah Pickard, philosopher of addiction who sees it as a behavioural disorder; Jovita Bydlowska, memoirist writing about relapse and long-term recovery; Dr. I. Michael Kaufman, retired physician and addiction memoirist. They probe whether addiction is driven by social circumstance and psychology, revisit famous rat experiments, discuss motives like self-medication and identity, and weigh diverse paths and supports for recovery.
Mar 2, 2026 • 54min
'Accidental activist' links resource extraction to missing and murdered Indigenous women
A personal story of grief turned into public action for missing Indigenous women. Memories of growing up in Fort St. John and confronting local violence. Connections are drawn between resource extraction, transient workforces and increased risks for Indigenous women. Practical accountability ideas and the tension between development and community consent are explored.
10 snips
Feb 27, 2026 • 1h 4min
Massey Lecture Part 1 | Renewing the promise of human rights
Alex Neve, a seasoned human rights lawyer and former Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, dives deep into the challenges facing universal human rights. He discusses the disturbing realities of refugees losing rights at borders and highlights the Rohingya crisis as a stark example of these failures. Neve passionately addresses the rising threats of disinformation and hate that erode equality. He ultimately emphasizes the importance of grassroots movements and civil society in reclaiming accountability to revive faith in human rights.
Feb 26, 2026 • 54min
The suffragist who was too radical for Susan. B. Anthony
Sally (Rush) Wagner, radical feminist scholar who restored Matilda Gage’s legacy. Angelica Shirley Carpenter, historian and biographer of Gage. Donna (Dawna) Dingwall, producer and narrator who unearthed archival material. They trace Gage’s abolitionist roots, her clashes with Susan B. Anthony over religion and race, links to L. Frank Baum and Oz, her attacks on organized religion, and the campaigns to revive her erased legacy.
Feb 25, 2026 • 54min
How can we prevent AI from becoming a menace?
Owain Evans, AI safety researcher and founder/director of Truthful AI, explores fast AI progress and why misalignment can emerge. He discusses unpredictable misbehavior, how small tweaks can make systems malicious, challenges of verifying alignment, and the need for legible, human-readable reasoning to detect deception and reduce existential risks.
7 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 54min
What will happen to us when the internet dies?
Matt Hussey, a therapist and tech writer, reflects on how AI and bots hollow out online connection. Cory Doctorow, a writer and digital-rights activist, traces platform decay, shittification, and policy choices that favor profit over people. They discuss the rise of nonhuman activity, eroding trust, loss of meaningful interaction, and ideas for preserving human-centered digital spaces.
5 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 54min
When your grandmother is accused of being a 'fascist spy'
Lea Ypi, Albanian philosopher and memoirist, digs into a wartime photo that ignited accusations about her grandmother. She mixes archival sleuthing, literary reconstruction and family memory. The conversation probes how dignity, identity and political surveillance shape personal histories. It follows choices, exile and the costs of integrity across shifting regimes.
Feb 20, 2026 • 54min
The spark that ignited a 40-year fight for human rights
In this engaging discussion, Alex Neve, a renowned human rights lawyer and 2025 CBC Massey Lecturer, reflects on pivotal inspirations from his youth, including his mother’s daycare activism that sparked his passion for justice. He shares how his father's values and law school talks transformed his view of human rights as a tool for activism. Neve also explores vital issues like Indigenous rights, the ongoing fight against gender-based violence, and the importance of community involvement in human rights advocacy.
20 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 54min
With a decline in reading is our capacity to think eroding?
Leah Sargent, a debater-turned-policy writer, explains debate habits that sharpen persuasion and openness. Shannon Vallor, philosopher of AI ethics, probes how AI reshapes creativity and moral thought. Naomi Baron, linguist, warns about shrinking reading cultures and summary tools. Adrian van der Waal, reading advocate, links deep reading to democratic life. Marianne Wolf, neuroscientist, highlights the reading brain. Annie Bender produced the narrative.
6 snips
Feb 18, 2026 • 54min
Why AI needs to be nicer to us and develop 'maternal instincts'
Geoffrey Hinton, a Nobel-winning pioneer of neural networks, argues AI could outsmart us and that compassion must be built in. He talks about how digital minds learn, risks from goal-driven systems, why kindness was neglected in design, and the idea of instilling maternal-like empathy as a safety measure.
