Dr. Vikas Shah MBE DL Interviews the world's leading thinkers, and the people shaping the century.

In this exclusive interview, we talk to Joseph Cirincione, President of Ploughshares Fund and expert advisor to the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States. We discuss the role of nuclear weapons in global security, the threat they pose to humanity, and why we must move towards…

 

At a very fundamental level, war is about defending against a perceived or actual threat.  Such aggressions have been frequently used throughout history to defend ideas, ideologies and territories- but more recently, economies. Unlike any other defence environment, the theatre of nuclear war exists in a state of near-permanent checkmate. …

 

In my article of September 01st 2010 “Thinking Ourselves Into Another Recession” I discussed how psychology plays a critical role in the well-being of an economy.  Using the paradigm of eating disorders, we discussed how: “…When we talk of economic confidence, business confidence, or even confidence in global markets, we…

 

As the Economist reported, “On September 12th the Basel Committee, a club of supervisors and bank regulators, finally reached agreement on how much extra stuffing needs to go into the cushions [of banks] to absorb losses and buffer the financial system against the next crisis.” The “Basel III” recommendations set…

 

Reporting on the increased perceived risk of a double-dip recession, the Huffington Posted noted how there is “..a growing sense of doom among some prominent economists“.  They went on to cite Nouriel Roubini, the cofounder and chairman of Roubini Global Economics and a professor at New York University’s Stern School…

 

UN Dispatch reported the words of Ban Ki Moon (UN Secretary General), who visited the Pakistan floods, saying, “This has been a heart-wrenching day, and I will never forget the destruction and suffering that I have witnessed.  I have visited the scenes of many natural disasters around the world, but…

 

In July 2010, the Economist observed how non-profit organisations “…are commonly advised to become more like for-profit businesses. Management experts and consultants view them as horribly inefficient due to the absence of the concentrating power of the profit motive… [however] there has been barely any reciprocal pressure on for-profit firms…

 

In his 1817 book, “On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation“, David Ricardo explained the principle of economic comparative advantage.  He drew example from the production of wine and cloth in England and Portugal and explained, “In England it is very hard to produce wine, and only moderately difficult…

 

Explore an archive of more than 3,000 quotes.

Many organizations focus on ROI but overlook the significant expense of human capital on their P&L. I advocate for the concept of 'return on brainpower.' The question is, are you cultivating a space where individuals are encouraged to apply their intellectual prowess?

I think intelligence is best understood as an entity that has the ability to improve a metric through repeated exposure over time. By that definition, machine learning algorithms are learning systems — they get better with more data and more exposures.

The journey we're on doesn't necessarily have a fixed destination; rather, it's about moving in the right direction. The purpose of life is to decipher your own purpose in life. This isn't a contradictory statement; rather, it's a necessary paradox. We exist in order to uncover the reasons for our existence.

— Kevin Kelly
Founding Executive Editor of Wired Magazine & Technology Thinker

There's a risk of underestimation if we only count the easily quantifiable elements. It's easy to dismiss minute pathways as insignificant due to their size, but with an infinite number, their collective impact can be substantial.

The key for young individuals is to balance seeking wisdom from those who have preceded them—being open and receptive, yet not confusing confidence with arrogance—while offering their insights and ideas for collaboration.

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Long-form Interviews with the World's Leading Thinkers — Thought Economics


The Wisdom Series

Ten in-depth articles distilling insights from over 550 interviews with the world's leading thinkers, creators, and changemakers.

The Wisdom of Leadership The Wisdom of Entrepreneurship The Wisdom of Creativity The Wisdom of Technology The Wisdom of Meaning The Wisdom of the Mind The Wisdom of Justice The Wisdom of Science The Wisdom of Geopolitics The Wisdom of Health
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