Open to Debate

As world attention descends on the United Nations General Assembly, Open to Debate is once again casting a critical lens on this over 80-year-old global organization. To this day, questions are still mounting as to whether the United Nations itself is both ineffective and outdated, or whether an institution created for the world of 1945 is equipped for, and can effectively meet, today's challenges. Now we debate: Is the United Nations Obsolete?

ARGUING YES:

Rajan Menon, Political Scientist & Spitzer Professor Emeritus of International Relations at the City College of New York

Nile Gardiner, Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom and Bernard and Barbara Lomas Fellow at The Heritage Foundation

ARGUING NO:

Angela Kane, German Diplomat and Senior Fellow at Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation; Former UN Under-Secretary-General

Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou, Scholar & Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania

Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates

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What shapes us more: our DNA or the way we’re raised? The “nature” camp points to genetic research and studies of twins raised apart, arguing that traits from personality to abilities are strongly influenced by inherited biology, limiting how much parenting can shape who children become. The “nurture” camp argues upbringing, culture, and parental choices profoundly influence development and behavior. So which matters more? This ethical conundrum is at the crux of this week's debate, originally broadcast in November 2019

ARGUING YES:

Robert Plomin, Professor of Behavioral Genetics at King’s College London

Nancy Segal, Professor of Psychology at California State University, Fullerton and Director at the Twin Studies Center

ARGUING NO:

Paige Harden, Psychology Professor at the University of Texas

Ann Pleshette Murphy, Author & Parenting Expert

Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates

Recent twin studies:

⁠Parenting in Childhood Predicts Personality in Early Adulthood: A Longitudinal Twin-Differences Study⁠ (APA, 2025)

⁠Genetics of monozygotic twins reveals the impact of environmental sensitivity on psychiatric and neurodevelopmental phenotypes⁠ (Nature Human Behavior, 2025)

⁠Longitudinal associations between cognitive ability and socioeconomic status are partially genetic in Nature⁠ (Scientific Reports, 2026)

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A century after Henry Ford helped popularize the five-day, 40-hour week, could working 32 hours be next? Supporters say shorter weeks can improve well-being without sacrificing productivity, especially as AI would make workers more efficient. Others warn it would strain industries that require continuous staffing and force Americans to rethink everything from school and healthcare schedules to expectations of around-the-clock availability. We debate: Is America Ready for a Four-Day Work Week?

Arguing Yes: Juliet Schor, Economist and Sociologist at Boston College

Arguing No: Joanne Lipman, Bestselling Author, Journalist, and Former Media Executive

Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates

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Capitalism has long been credited with driving innovation and prosperity, yet many Americans increasingly believe the system is no longer working for them. Is the problem capitalism itself or the policies surrounding it? In this debate, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist faces a prominent economist with a competing vision to examine inequality, economic opportunity, and the future of the American economy. Now we debate: Is Capitalism Broken?

Arguing Yes: Nick Hanauer, Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist

Arguing No: Jason Furman, Former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers; Professor at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government

Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates

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VOTE HERE: ⁠https://bit.ly/podcastcapitalismvote ⁠

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Join the conversation on Substack—share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our debaters, moderators, and staff.

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The dangers of climate change are “no longer over the horizon.” Humanity may soon pass the “point of no return.” These are the phrases U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used to describe what he called an “utterly inadequate” global response to rising temperatures. But if we were to decisively act and restructure our global economy with the climate in mind, who would shoulder the burden? Or should our collective focus orient more toward humans’ capacity for adaptation? This ethical conundrum is at the crux of this week's debate, originally broadcast in July 2022.

Arguing Yes:

Bjorn Lomborg, Author of the Bestsellers "Cool It" and "The Skeptical Environmentalist"; Director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center

Matthew Kahn, Provost Professor of Economics and Spatial Sciences at the University of Southern California

Arguing No:

Michele Wucker, Economic Policy Expert & Founder of Gray Rhino & Company

Kaveh Madani, Environmental Scientist; Former Vice President of the United Nations Environment Assembly Bureau; Former Deputy Head of Iran’s Department of Environment

Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates

Join the conversation on Substack—share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our debaters, moderators, and staff.

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