The current Trump–Silicon Valley consensus—that all forms of regulation somehow constrain the muscular freedom of companies to innovate—is ludicrous.

Western civilisation has veered off course; we have de-sacralised the world in which we live. We are collectively insane, and we need to mount our own intervention.

There's this wonderful intersection where I've personally felt successful for quite some time. I truly believe I'm living out my purpose. It reminds me of the saying, 'remember the time you wished for the things you have now.' I'm living that dream.

There is a famous Iraqi idiom which states that if you think your opponents can eat you for dinner, then you'd better eat them for lunch.

While the cautionary tales narrated by these thinkers have merit, one can't help but feel they occasionally veer into hyperbole. They often highlight the idea that AI systems can self-evolve, enhancing their capabilities exponentially in mere seconds. However, this overlooks the fact that genuine intelligence augmentation necessitates the incorporation of vast new data.

There is a line between the observable and greater universe. For discussion it's very useful to recognise that when we speak about anything outside the observable universe, we're switching from the empirical to the speculative and theoretical

As a matter of history it's crucial to distinguish between what I have taken to call 'mercantile capitalism' and what I like to call 'modern capitalism'. Mercantile capitalism I think of as prevailing in Britain, Holland, Spain and elsewhere from around 1500 to 1800 or so.

If the disabled workforce was utilised to its full potential, that's an extra £40 billion that could be added to the economy.

For me, etiquette transcends mere formalities; it's fundamentally about ensuring others feel at ease in your presence, regardless of their background or demeanour. It's this universal language of respect and inclusion that truly enriches our interactions, making every social exchange an opportunity to bridge differences and foster a sense of belonging.

Emotions are the brain's way of making us pay attention immediately to what is most important so that we can react as quickly as possible. In evolution, that meant 'survival' – the rustle in the bushes may be our next meal or may make us its next meal – something that we have to chase, or run away from – and in either case, we don't want to have to stop and think.

We have to understand that the world has been inefficient for decades, producing too much, using too much and throwing away too much. We waste 75% of the energy we produce, half the food we produce and half of our natural resources.

After the Holocaust, political antisemitism became widely discredited. However, what persisted were the cultural stereotypes – the entrenched narratives and stereotypes about Jews within the culture, ready to be drawn upon whenever they seemed relevant or useful.