FEATURED DEBATE

Global Leaders Debate Money, Truth, and Power

In a world being reshaped by vital questions about Al, sustainability, and an uncertain global economy, now is the time for decisive action. As a Knowledge Partner with the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, this episode will showcase the power of debate and its positive impact on humanity. With the debut of a new, engaging format, featuring three fast-paced rounds, six debaters take on questions of Money, Truth, and Power in a debate titled "Clash of the Titans." The debate examines three provocative questions with three sets of influential debaters: whether the future of currency is fiat or crypto, whether…

December 6, 2024

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FEATURED DEBATE

December 6, 2024

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Global Leaders Debate Money, Truth, and Power

November 22, 2024

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Thinking Twice: Revenge of the Tipping Point with Malcolm Gladwell

In 2000, New York Times bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell released the groundbreaking book “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference”, which explored how small ideas can create lasting changes in everyday life through…

With Malcolm Gladwell

November 22, 2024

November 29, 2024

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Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop?

Is that new $12 dress you saw trending on TikTok worth it? Brands like Shein, H&M, Zara, and Primark have made it easy to stay on-trend, thanks to the fast fashion industry. These inexpensive, truly-of-the-moment…

With Katherine Mangu-Ward, Kenneth Pucker

November 29, 2024

THE LATEST

Explore All

Global Leaders Debate Money, Truth, and Power

December 6, 2024

Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop?

With Katherine Mangu-Ward, Kenneth Pucker

November 29, 2024

Thinking Twice: Revenge of the Tipping Point with Malcolm Gladwell

With Malcolm Gladwell

November 22, 2024

Nate Silver: The Art of Risking Everything: Politics, Poker Players, and Silicon Valley

Nate Silver, a preeminent Election 2024 forecaster and one of the most influential voices in political analysis as the founder of FiveThirtyEight and bestselling author knows that analyzing facts and having the right data can…

With Nate Silver

October 23, 2024

Should Israel Strike Iran?

Israel and Iran have been in a proxy conflict for decades, but it escalated to a new level this year during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Now with rising tensions and new rocket…

With Michael Doran, Shira Efron

October 11, 2024

Will Kamala Harris or Donald Trump Be Better for America?

Live Comedy Cellar Debate As America heads into the 2024 election, voters are considering their choices. So as part of Open to Debate’s special election series, we offer a substantive policy debate — with a…

With Pete Dominick, Jimmy Failla

October 8, 2024

Election 2024: Are Identity Politics Holding Us Back?

In recent years, and especially during critical election seasons, identity politics have become a big part of American political discourse, with both Democrats and Republicans leveraging issues of race, gender, and class to engage voters…

With Alicia Garza, Coleman Hughes

September 27, 2024

Were Israel’s Actions in the Gaza War Justified?

Live NYC Event In the year since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the question of proportionality in response to October 7th has taken center stage. Both sides have reported high death…

With Mehdi Hasan, Eylon Levy

September 21, 2024

Is Wokeness in Public Schools Helping or Hurting Students?

Over the past decade, social justice movements have helped reshape K-12 curricula to include discussions on systemic racism, privilege, gender diversity, and sex education — a set of changes that some refer to as "woke."…

With Altheria Caldera, Ian Rowe

September 6, 2024

America the Dysfunctional?

Recorded live in Washington, DC on August 13th American politics today has been marred by increasing levels of “us vs. them” thinking, leading to the destruction of our social fabric and democracy. But critical thinking,…

With Brian Tyler Cohen, Nick Gillespie

August 13, 2024

Can Israel Make Peace with Hamas?

After the October 7th attack, Israel vowed to eradicate Hamas and began its counteroperation in Gaza. Now, after ten months of war, a hostage crisis, and an increasing death toll, Israel and Hamas have been…

With Cenk Uygur, Mosab Hassan Yousef

August 9, 2024

Is the ICC’s Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu Justified?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is tasked with prosecuting individuals for the most serious offenses, such as genocide and war crimes. The ICC recently requested arrest warrants for Hamas’s leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,…

With Eugene Kontorovich, Kenneth Roth

July 26, 2024

IN THE NEWS

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Can Israel Make Peace with Hamas?

With Cenk Uygur, Mosab Hassan Yousef

August 9, 2024

Mock Trial: Should Trump’s Conviction Stand?

Donald Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime. He was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree under New York law. Trump has…

With Erwin Chemerinsky, Randy Zelin

July 26, 2024

Mock Trial: Murthy v. Missouri - Free Speech, Government and Misinformation on Social Media Platforms

The Supreme Court is taking up a case that could affect how you read about issues during a crucial election year. Government officials concerned about misinformation related to topics such as COVID and election integrity…

With Charles "Chip" Miller, Rylee Sommers-Flanagan

June 14, 2024

Should Congress Stop Funding the War in Ukraine?

Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States has provided more than $75 billion in aid to Ukraine, which has been directed toward military operations, economic support, and humanitarian assistance. As the…

With Heather Conley, Daniel L. Davis, Paula Dobriansky, John J. Mearsheimer

April 12, 2024

Unresolved: The Iran Threat

Post-October 7th, Iran's presence in the Middle East—and on the world stage—is growing stronger, many say, given its nuclear ambitions and its use of proxies in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, most recently disrupting shipping…

With Michael Doran, Barbara Slavin, Ray Takeyh

February 16, 2024

Mock Trial: Is Trump Guilty in the January 6th Case?

In a new “Mock Trial” debate format, Open to Debate will take on the most important legal questions of our time, with each episode focusing on a high-profile case unfolding in the public square. We’ll…

With Sara Azari, Lanny Davis

January 5, 2024

Urgent Debate: Securing the Border

In recent years, the U.S. has seen a surge in the number of migrants and asylum seekers at its borders, which has strained existing border security and immigration systems. The Secure the Border Act of…

With Kristie De Peña, Jessica Vaughan

December 15, 2023

How Would A No Labels Presidential Candidate Change the Outcome in 2024?

The centrist group No Labels is planning to host a bipartisan nominating convention in 2024. This is leading some people to speculate that they may promote a third-party candidate that better reflects the perspective of…

With Ryan Clancy, Rahna Epting

December 1, 2023

Is Legalizing Marijuana a Mistake?

According to an October 2022 Pew survey, “88% of US adults say that marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use.” While marijuana legalization is gaining more and more cultural acceptance, effectively regulating drugs…

With Teresa Haley, Toi Hutchinson, Paul J. Larkin, Jr., Cat Packer

September 8, 2023

Is Netanyahu's Government Heading in the Wrong Direction?

Benjamin Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history. After five elections happening in four years, Israeli voters re-elected him in November 2022 where he established a new government while on trial for corruption…

With Jeremy Ben-Ami, Caroline Glick

May 26, 2023

Should The U.S. Ban TikTok?

With one billion active users across more than 150 countries, TikTok is by many measures one of the world’s most successful video apps — and half of Americans use it. The House of Representatives has…

With Milton Mueller, Kori Schake

February 17, 2023

Is Public Radio Still Relevant?

Many Americans grew up with a transistor radio somewhere in the home. Out of it emanated the commentaries, stories, news, and analysis. Public radio was a key means of getting information. But between podcasts, satellite…

With Kmele Foster, Eric Nuzum

November 22, 2022

EDITOR'S PICKS

Explore All

Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop?

With Katherine Mangu-Ward, Kenneth Pucker

November 29, 2024

Were Israel’s Actions in the Gaza War Justified?

With Mehdi Hasan, Eylon Levy

September 21, 2024

America the Dysfunctional?

With Brian Tyler Cohen, Nick Gillespie

August 13, 2024

Is the ICC’s Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu Justified?

With Eugene Kontorovich, Kenneth Roth

July 26, 2024

History Lessons About Combatting Polarization in 2024 with Fareed Zakaria

From AI and tech innovations to the political and cultural climate during a critical election year, our modern world is constantly changing. However, within these revolutions comes a new level of polarization that has entered…

With John Donvan, Fareed Zakaria

July 12, 2024

Married or Single?

Marriage has long been considered a goal to aspire to and a conventional path to happiness. But over the last few decades, the traditional view of marriage as the cornerstone of adult life has been questioned. Changes in…

With Bella DePaulo, Jonathan Rothwell

June 28, 2024

Is It OK to Pay for Sex?

Prostitution remains heavily stigmatized and legally complex globally, ranging from full decriminalization to controlled regulation like the Nordic Model, where only purchasers of sex, not sellers of sex are penalized. This model has been implemented…

With Kaytlin Bailey, Yasmin Vafa

June 7, 2024

Should We Address the Gender Wage Gap?

American women are, on average, paid 84 cents for every dollar men make, according to the Department of Labor. This wage gap has persisted despite near-record rates of women’s participation in the labor market, with…

With Kadie Ward Philp, Allison Schrager

March 8, 2024

How to Resolve Conflict in Relationships: A Conversation with Esther Perel

Conflict is not reserved for politics or public policy — it also happens within relationships. Couples have arguments over what’s happening behind closed doors, their beliefs, and how to navigate the future together. However, it’s through…

With John Donvan, Esther Perel

February 9, 2024

David Petraeus and Andrew Roberts on Conflict, War, and Debate

Debate is a form of conflict that is played out through words, arguments, civility, and the capability to exchange ideas with people we disagree with. But what happens when debate fails — and what leads…

With General David H. Petraeus, Andrew Roberts

January 12, 2024

Is Carbon Capture Essential to Fighting Climate Change?

When it comes to carbon dioxide, last year was a record year. The world emitted more of the climate-warming gas in 2022 than in any year since scientists began recording levels in 1900. The culprit,…

With Mark Z. Jacobson, Katherine Romanak

May 5, 2023

Has China's Power Peaked?

This was supposed to be the “Chinese century.” In just a few decades, China transitioned from a developing economy to the world’s second-largest. Measured in purchasing power parity, it actually surpassed the U.S. economy in…

With Michael Beckley, Ian Bremmer

January 30, 2023

Upcoming Debates

Could Longevity Science Extend Your Health Span By Decades? Should the Government Fund It?

With Peter Diamandis, Ezekiel J. Emanuel

10:00 AM | Friday, December 27, 2024

How long would you like to live, and could science and technology make it possible? Longevity science aims to extend our healthy years through advancements in CRISPR, cellular reprogramming, and drug development. While private companies and philanthropists invest heavily in these innovations, should the government be responsible for funding these efforts? Those who say yes to government funding say that longevity research could revolutionize public health, keep aging populations productive in the workforce, and reduce the economic burden of age-related…

Could Longevity Science Extend Your Health Span By Decades? Should the Government Fund It?

With Peter Diamandis, Ezekiel J. Emanuel

10:00 AM | Friday, December 27, 2024

Psychedelics for Mental Health: Help or Hype?

With Ismail Ali, Kevin Sabet

10:00 AM | Friday, December 13, 2024

Magic mushrooms, MDMA, and Ketamine. These psychedelic drugs, once a taboo, might not be as harmful as we thought. Some scientific studies have shown evidence that psychedelic drugs, when used in controlled therapeutic settings, may help patients with anxiety, PTSD, and depression. While states like Oregon have legalized psilocybin therapy, the FDA recently decided in a high-profile case not to approve MDMA therapy. Should doctors still consider its use, or is it overhyped? Those who advocate for psychedelic treatments argue…

Psychedelics for Mental Health: Help or Hype?

With Ismail Ali, Kevin Sabet

10:00 AM | Friday, December 13, 2024

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Upcoming debates

SUPPORT OPEN-MINDED DEBATE

FEATURED DEBATE

Global Leaders Debate Money, Truth, and Power

FEATURED DEBATE

Global Leaders Debate Money, Truth, and Power

Thinking Twice: Revenge of the Tipping Point with Malcolm Gladwell

Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop?

THE LATEST

Global Leaders Debate Money, Truth, and Power

Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop?

Thinking Twice: Revenge of the Tipping Point with Malcolm Gladwell

Nate Silver: The Art of Risking Everything: Politics, Poker Players, and Silicon Valley

Should Israel Strike Iran?

Will Kamala Harris or Donald Trump Be Better for America?

Election 2024: Are Identity Politics Holding Us Back?

Were Israel’s Actions in the Gaza War Justified?

Is Wokeness in Public Schools Helping or Hurting Students?

America the Dysfunctional?

Can Israel Make Peace with Hamas?

Is the ICC’s Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu Justified?

TRENDING

Should Israel Strike Iran?

Is the Two-State Solution Still Viable?

Agree to Disagree: Ukraine

Is Taiwan Indefensible?

China and the U.S. Are Long-term Enemies

Is Islam A Religion Of Peace?

Should The U.S. Step Back From Its Relationship With Israel?

IN THE NEWS

Can Israel Make Peace with Hamas?

Mock Trial: Should Trump’s Conviction Stand?

Mock Trial: Murthy v. Missouri - Free Speech, Government and Misinformation on Social Media Platforms

Should Congress Stop Funding the War in Ukraine?

Unresolved: The Iran Threat

Mock Trial: Is Trump Guilty in the January 6th Case?

Urgent Debate: Securing the Border

How Would A No Labels Presidential Candidate Change the Outcome in 2024?

Is Legalizing Marijuana a Mistake?

Is Netanyahu's Government Heading in the Wrong Direction?

Should The U.S. Ban TikTok?

Is Public Radio Still Relevant?

EDITOR'S PICKS

Fast Fashion: Shop or Stop?

Were Israel’s Actions in the Gaza War Justified?

America the Dysfunctional?

Is the ICC’s Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu Justified?

History Lessons About Combatting Polarization in 2024 with Fareed Zakaria

Married or Single?

Is It OK to Pay for Sex?

Should We Address the Gender Wage Gap?

How to Resolve Conflict in Relationships: A Conversation with Esther Perel

David Petraeus and Andrew Roberts on Conflict, War, and Debate

Is Carbon Capture Essential to Fighting Climate Change?

Has China's Power Peaked?

Upcoming Debates

Could Longevity Science Extend Your Health Span By Decades? Should the Government Fund It?

Could Longevity Science Extend Your Health Span By Decades? Should the Government Fund It?

Psychedelics for Mental Health: Help or Hype?

Psychedelics for Mental Health: Help or Hype?

DEBATE COMMUNITY

EDUCATIONAL BRIEFS

SUPPORT OPEN-MINDED DEBATE

Be Curious. Be Open-Minded. Be Open to Debate.