Peak Human: What We Can Learn from History’s Greatest Civilizations

Sphere is excited to engage our educator community in discussion about the factors that contributed to the rise and fall of some of humanity’s greatest civilizations. Through a moderated discussion with author Johan Norberg, a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, we will explore seven of humanity’s greatest civilizations—ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Abbasid Baghdad, Song China, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere—featured in his new book, Peak Human. We will examine their contributions to societal progress during each of their golden ages and unpack valuable lessons we can learn from them.  Following moderated discussion, we will walk through how to support student exploration of these topics with Sphere content author and alumnus Sean Kinnard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since its passage in 1970, the Bank Secrecy Act has fundamentally transformed the relationship between Americans and their financial institutions, creating an unprecedented surveillance apparatus that monitors virtually every financial transaction. What began as a tool to combat tax cheats has evolved into a comprehensive system of financial monitoring that affects everyone.This timely discussion will explore how the Bank Secrecy Act has shaped modern banking, its implications for Fourth Amendment protections, and the urgent need for reform in an era of increasing digital surveillance. Our panel will examine the intersection of financial privacy, technological innovation, and constitutional rights, offering insights into how we can restore the balance between security and liberty.Join us for a critical examination of the Bank Secrecy Act as it reaches its 55th anniversary—a milestone that calls for urgent reflection on the state of financial privacy in America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congress has spent $15 trillion through emergency designations since 1991, which is equivalent to half the entire publicly held debt of the United States. Emergency designations have enabled more than $12.5 trillion in spending since 1991—comparable to the entire amount spent on Medicaid and veterans’ programs combined—and added an estimated $2.5 trillion in associated interest costs.Join the Cato Institute on Tuesday, October 7, at 2 p.m. EDT for an online discussion with other congressional staffers on how Congress can rein in similar fiscal abuses. We’ll highlight bills that are now before Congress that would curb emergency spending loopholes, and we’ll explore opportunities for lawmakers to lead or join promising reform efforts. A live Q&A will follow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Free markets are a core principle of libertarianism, and data are a central element to furthering economic freedom.Accurate data are essential to researchers of all philosophies—liberal, conservative, and libertarian—and all researchers must rely on objective facts as a baseline to inform policy and have legitimate debate in the marketplace of ideas.For better or worse, the federal government is currently one of the main sources of economic data, and users must be able to rely on the objectivity of its data.Given recent events, is there a legitimate reason to rethink how government data are compiled? What is the role of private institutions? Are there changes that could be implemented to better serve the researchers who utilize the data most? William Beach and Erica Groshen, former heads of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Norbert Michel, vice president and director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, will address these questions.Please join us for this timely and important discussion, led by these influential thought leaders, about the data that inform the government’s policies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Artificial intelligence is evolving quickly, shaping conversations both in policy circles and in classrooms. On one hand, policy debates continue over regulation, ethics, and the role AI should play in society. On the classroom side, teachers are examining practical ways AI could enhance learning. This webinar offers educators a chance to learn about the current policy landscape alongside considering how AI may be used to support civil discourse in the classroom. Join Sphere on October 2nd from 7:30–9:00 pm Eastern via Zoom to explore this conversation further.Sphere invites you to join this webinar designed to bring clarity and spark conversation. In the first part of the webinar, leading scholars, Jennifer Huddleston of the Cato Institute and Tatiana Rice of The Future of Privacy Forum, will unpack the current AI policy landscape and explore the opportunities and challenges it presents. In the second part, practicing Sphere alumni educators, Kimberly Hammers of Chesapeake Public Schools and Sasha Litzenberger of Mesa Public Schools, will share how they are experimenting with AI to foster civil discourse skills Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trade between belligerents during wartime should not occur. After all, exchanged goods might help enemies secure the upper hand on the battlefield. Yet as history shows, states rarely choose either war or trade. In fact, they frequently engage in both at the same time.To explain why states trade with their enemies, Mariya Grinberg examines the wartime commercial policies of major powers during several conflicts in her book Trade in War. Grinberg reveals that economic cooperation can thrive even in the most hostile of times and argues that economic ties between states may be insufficient to stave off war.Join Grinberg and Henry Farrell, with Joshua Shifrinson as moderator, for a discussion on trade during wartime and what it means for statecraft. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a special event and live recording of Conversations with Tyler to celebrate the launch of False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery, 1933–1947, the highly anticipated new book by economist George Selgin.In this groundbreaking history, Selgin examines the United States’ long and difficult road to recovery from the Great Depression—and the real legacy of the New Deal. Drawing on contemporary sources and cutting-edge economic research, Selgin challenges the conventional narratives and offers a compelling reassessment of one of the most transformative periods in American economic history.Was the New Deal a bold success or a costly detour? What truly ended the Great Depression—and what lessons can we draw for today? Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from the author as he discusses his insights and the implications for economic policy and historical understanding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States faces the depletion of Social Security’s trust fund in 2033, making it imperative for policymakers to pursue practical reform options that balance fiscal sustainability with preserving individual liberty. Emily and Romina recently teamed up on a national survey to better understand how Americans think about Social Security and to inform Romina’s work. Their findings are striking: More than half of Americans don’t know how Social Security is funded, and nearly one in four mistakenly believe they have a personal account set aside for them. These misconceptions present a real challenge—but also an opportunity—to engage the public more effectively and build momentum for meaningful reform. Emily and Romina discuss the survey’s findings with Romina’s reform work in her new book, Reimagining Social Security, and explore the implications for policy, politics, and the next generation of retirees. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cato’s annual Constitution Day symposium marks the day in 1787 that the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the US Constitution. We celebrate that event each year with the release of the new issue of the Cato Supreme Court Review and with a day-long symposium featuring noted scholars discussing the recently concluded Supreme Court terms and the important upcoming cases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cato’s annual Constitution Day symposium marks the day in 1787 that the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the US Constitution. We celebrate that event each year with the release of the new issue of the Cato Supreme Court Review and with a day-long symposium featuring noted scholars discussing the recently concluded Supreme Court terms and the important upcoming cases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.