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Tyler Cowen engages today's deepest thinkers in wide-ranging explorations of their work, the world, and everything in between. New conversations every other Wednesday. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

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Latest Episodes

Tyler considers Diarmaid MacCulloch one of those rare historians whose entire body of work rewards reading. This work includes his award-winning Cranmer biography, his sweeping histories of Christianity and the Reformation, and his latest on sex and ... more

At 22, Brendan Foody is both the youngest Conversations with Tyler guest ever and the youngest unicorn founder on record. His company Mercor hires the experts who train frontier AI models—from poets grading verse to economists building evaluation fra... more

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Help us keep the conversations going in 2026. Donate to Conversations with Tyler today.

On this special year-in-review episode, Tyler and producer Jeff Holmes look back on the past year on CWT and more, including covering the most popular and unde... more

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Help us keep the conversations going in 2026. Donate to Conversations with Tyler today.

Alison Gopnik is both a psychologist and philosopher at Berkeley, studying how children construct theories of the world from limited data. Her central insight ... more

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Recent Guests

Diarmaid MacCulloch
Emeritus professor of the history of the church at Oxford and a senior research fellow at Oxford
Episode: Diarmaid MacCulloch on Christianity, Sex, and Unsettling Settled Facts
Brendan Foody
CEO and co-founder of Mercor, the youngest unicorn founder
Mercor
Episode: Brendan Foody on Teaching AI and the Future of Knowledge Work
Gaurav Kapadia
Generational investor and avid collector of contemporary art
XN (Investment Firm)
Episode: Gaurav Kapadia on New York City, Investing, and Contemporary Art
Dan Wang
Author of 'Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future'
Episode: Dan Wang on What China and America Can Learn from Each Other
Donald S. Lopez Jr.
Professor at the University of Michigan and leading expert on Buddhism
University of Michigan
Episode: Donald S. Lopez Jr. on Buddhism
Steven Pinker
Cognitive psychologist, linguist, and author of 'When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...','s
Harvard University
Episode: Steven Pinker on Coordination, Common Knowledge, and the Retreat of Liberal Enlightenment
David Commins
A leading scholar on Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, and Wahhabism
Episode: David Commins on Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism, and the Future of the Gulf States
Seamus Murphy
Irish photographer and filmmaker known for his work in Afghanistan and collaborations with musician PJ Harvey.
Episode: Seamus Murphy on Photographing Patterns Across Cultures
Annie Jacobsen
Author and journalist focusing on national security and defense issues
Episode: Annie Jacobsen on Nuclear War, Intelligence Operations, and Conspiracy Realities

Host

Tyler Cowen
Host engaging deep thinkers in discussions about their work and societal issues, exploring a broad range of topics from economics to cultural insights.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 4.5k ratings
  • Walking Cities episode

    Another great episode of this fantastic podcast. There is nothing else like it. I wish more podcast hosts — and journalists — would learn to stay short and to the point, rather than asking long winded, self indulgent questions. One observation on this particular episode: I find it odd that when asked what he thinks the leadership of the CCP’s game-plan is, TC doesn’t include “hanging on to power by any means to maintain their corruption.” TC knows this is the case: it’s a shame he doesn’t feel ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lifeclearout
    United Kingdom7 days ago
  • Tyler is a national treasure

    A fantastic interviewer, philosopher, economist, and consumer of art.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    scam scam!!
    United States20 days ago
  • Noise. Noise. Noise. Signal?

    There is a lot of talking, much of it “smart-sounding” or intelligence-adjacent, but not actually smart or accurate or useful itself. Tyler’s propensity to fall into logical fallacies is astounding… I guess podcasts don’t filter against this.

    A nice little test is to listen to five year-old episodes and see how they held up. The SBF interview on Tyler’s show was my first exposure to Effective Altruism, and Tyler was talking to a literal fraudster, kind of pandering to his worldview. (Of course... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    arthurofbabylon
    United States21 days ago
  • Karl Ove Knausgaard

    This episode made me cry a bit. Knausgaard is two weeks older than me and I ripped through the My Struggle volumes whenever I could get my hands on each new translation. So many notes of resonance even thought I grew up in his antipode. Every time I hear Knausgaard discuss literature and art I am reinspired to tackle the ocean of great literature out there. Could we have an ‘Sacrificed Children’ exhibition or arts festival? Would be fascinating.

    Was Annie Jacobsen your most obtuse interviewee e... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Herronski
    Australia22 days ago
  • Tyler 🫡

    Quenches my insatiable thirst for understanding and then some

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Riogogo45
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Overall, feedback highlights that the podcast remains one of the best in the non-partisan intellectual space, fostering curiosity and stimulating learning.
There are criticisms about the host's approach at times, suggesting that the questioning could use more depth and coherence, though many enjoy the engaging dialogue with guests.
Listeners appreciate the structured and deep conversations that introduce them to a multitude of thinkers and ideas, often praising the show's unique and insightful questions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#92
United States/Education
Apple Podcasts
#84
Canada/Education
Apple Podcasts
#111
United Kingdom/Education
Apple Podcasts
#78
Australia/Education
Apple Podcasts
#122
Italy/Education
Apple Podcasts
#34
New Zealand/Education

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Diarmaid MacCulloch on Christianity, Sex, and Unsettling Settled Facts
Q: Why does Islam so emphasize the sexual desires of women relative to Christianity?
Islam's allowance for the acknowledgment of women's sexual desires is found within Quranic texts, though often interpreted by men, creating a complex image of women's roles.
Diarmaid MacCulloch on Christianity, Sex, and Unsettling Settled Facts
Q: How does William Byrd survive as a Catholic? Is that also meritocracy?
William Byrd survives due to his genius as a composer and having the patronage of Queen Elizabeth I, who appreciated good music and sought to promote it.
Conversations with Tyler 2025 Retrospective
Q: In a future world where Neuralink type devices can instantly upload data to our mind, what is valuable?
The process is super important; it's not just the outcome.
Conversations with Tyler 2025 Retrospective
Q: How does Tyler pick hotels?
Most of my travel is connected to events, and the hotel is chosen for me.
Conversations with Tyler 2025 Retrospective
Q: What are the biggest surprises in AI this year?
The biggest surprise in AI was how good the O3 model was, which I called AGI at the time.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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What is Conversations with Tyler about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast features in-depth discussions with a variety of influencers and thought leaders on topics ranging from contemporary issues like artificial intelligence and liberalism to cultural insights from Buddhism and the intricacies of leadership in sports. Each episode highlights the hosts' ability to navigate complex subjects, encouraging multiple perspectives and critical thinking. The diversity of themes, including economic theories, historical events, and modern challenges, provides listeners with a rich tapestry of knowledge that is both enlightening and engaging, making it a compelling listen for those interested in sociocultural evolution and intellectual exploration.

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Conversations with Tyler:

1. EconTalk
2. Dwarkesh Podcast
3. "Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg
4. The Good Fight
5. Odd Lots

How many episodes of Conversations with Tyler are there?

Conversations with Tyler launched 11 years ago and published 279 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Conversations with Tyler?

Recent guests on Conversations with Tyler include:

1. Diarmaid MacCulloch
2. Brendan Foody
3. Gaurav Kapadia
4. Dan Wang
5. Donald S. Lopez Jr.
6. Steven Pinker
7. David Commins
8. Seamus Murphy

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