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The Forum Episodes

  1. The positive force of limits in science

    Astrophysicist and novelist Janna Levin discuss the significance of recognising limits

  2. The past, the present and the future

    Former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten assesses how to survive the 21st century

  3. The past and future of Islamic civilisation

    Ali Allawi argues that Islamic civilisation is in decline

  4. The paradox of sibling relationships

    Psychologist Dorothy Rowe on what these crucial relationships mean for our sense of self

  5. The P versus NP problem

    British mathematician Timothy Gowers on a quest for proof and its implications

  6. The myth of human progress

    Philosopher John Gray argues humans are incapable of sustained political progress

  7. The meaning of work

    The polemical writer Alain de Botton embarks on an imaginative odyssey around work

  8. The meaning of time

    East African writer Binyavanga Wainaina on the creative potency of a single instant

  9. The maths in everything

    Manil Suri on how basic functions have allowed mathematicians to deal with the infinite

  10. The magic of skyscrapers

    Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli discusses why humans are so drawn to the vertical

  11. The human mind

    Sugarta Mitra on a ground-breaking education experiment from India's slums

  12. The human creation of gardens

    Exploring what is distinctly human about gardens

  13. The history of the American future

    British historian and broadcaster Simon Schama explores America's obsession with history

  14. The history of technology

    Science historian David Edgerton on a new way of looking at the history of technology

  15. The history of mental illness

    Lisa Appignanesi uncovers changing attitudes to mental health

  16. The future of sustainable development

    Economist Jeffrey Sachs discusses solutions for a growing population in a warming world

  17. The expanding universe

    British mathematician Roger Penrose challenges the notion of an expanding universe

  18. The enigma of Russia

    Professor Marshall Goldman explores Russia and its economic influence over Europe

  19. The end of history

    Francis Fukuyama predicted the end of history. What does he think now?

  20. The emotional forces that define us

    Irene Khan, head of Amnesty International, talks about the core of a human right

  21. The diary: A life page by page

    The centuries-old practice of keeping a personal journal

  22. The death of the artist as an individual

    German-Kenyan new media artist Ingrid Mwangi Robert Hutter on her new 'double self'

  23. The crossover between scientific and artistic creativity

    Historian of science Arthur I Miller on creative thinking in science and art

  24. The China challenge

    Historian Chen Jian on how to integrate China as a full member of the world order

  25. The Catholic origins of modern capitalism

    Deepak Lal on how the foundations of modern capitalism were laid by the Catholic church

  26. The benefits and burden of belonging

    Israeli novelist A B Yehoshua discusses his novel Friendly Fire

  27. The ascent of money

    Niall Ferguson traces the role of money in human development from prehistory to today

  28. The art of medicine

    Doctor and novelist Abraham Verghese on the danger of losing the human touch in medicine

  29. Technology and the Brain

    Is 21st Century living altering the way our minds work?

  30. Surveillance in public space

    Electronic artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer on public space, surveillance and interaction

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