Episodes 53
Avg. Duration 29m
Activity Active
Apple Rating 4.7 (463)
Since Jun 2018
Latest Episode May 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Every 2 Weeks
Format
Episodic
Consistency
62%
Hosting
feeds.libsyn.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

Context is a podcast that explores the historical forces shaping our modern world. Hosted by Brad Harris, who earned his PhD from Stanford in the History of Science & Technology, each episode delves into pivotal ideas, events, and figures that have influenced civilization's trajectory. From the rise of scientific thought to the challenges of globalization, Brad provides insightful analysis that connects the past to our present. Whether you're a history enthusiast or seeking deeper understanding of contemporary issues, Context with Brad Harris offers a thoughtful journey through the narratives that define us.

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Recent Episodes

Take Nobody's Word For It: How Science Lost Its Founding Virtue

May 13, 2026 31m

"Trust the science" is a phrase Robert Boyle would have found horrifying. The Royal Society he co-founded in 1660 inscribed exactly the opposite principle on its coat of arms: Nullius in verba — take…

The Last Generation To Die?

May 05, 2026 39m

Human civilization has been trying to defeat death forever. For the first time, we may be beginning to succeed. In labs from California to Cambridge, the biology of aging is being treated as an…

Why Modern Civilization Runs on Trust — And Why It's Breaking

Apr 09, 2026 38m

What makes it possible for billions of strangers to cooperate every day? Trust. Not the kind you have with friends and family. But an elaborate, invisible scaffolding of norms, institutions, laws,…

The Invention of Uncertainty: How Probability Led to Artificial Intelligence

Mar 12, 2026 29m

Where did probability come from? In this episode, Brad Harris explores how the invention of probability reshaped humanity's relationship with uncertainty—and why artificial intelligence (AI)…

When Greatness Becomes Bad

Feb 24, 2026 41m

Why do civilizations turn against their own greatness, and what happens when they do? In this episode of Context with Brad Harris, we trace the psychology of civilizational decline, from the Great…

Layers of Meaning in Human History

Jan 27, 2026 37m

Once survival is secured, a different question emerges: what is life for? In this episode of Context, we trace three enduring sources of human purpose—endurance, exploration, and…

Which Humanity Survives?

Jan 13, 2026 33m

Human history is not a smooth story of progress. It is a story of bottlenecks—moments when pressure narrows the field, and when only certain ways of living can carry themselves forward. In this…

The Great Silence

Dec 22, 2025 24m

In this episode of Context, we explore the historical, philosophical, and ethical implications of artificial intelligence, drawing on examples from world history, literature, and modern AI research.…

Back from the Brink: How Societies Recover

Sep 30, 2025 30m

Can fractured societies pull themselves back from the brink? Is America doomed to slide into another civil war? Or, are we already engaged in a kind of Cold Civil War? In this episode of Context, we…

Good vs Evil

Sep 16, 2025 27m

My thoughts on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and what his martyrdom reveals about truth versus lies, good versus evil, and the West's spiritual fight for its life.

The Wilderness at the Gates

Sep 02, 2025 27m

For fifty years, we've been told that nature is fragile — a porcelain Eden, easily shattered by the slightest human pressure. But history tells a different story. From the fall of Rome to the Black…

Phantom Worlds

Aug 26, 2025 25m

History is full of phantom worlds—alternative technological paradigms that could have made everything turn out radically differently. Airships instead of airplanes. Rail instead of cars. Direct…

The Machinery of Abundance

Aug 12, 2025 24m

Modern life runs on hidden engine rooms—vast, intricate systems most of us never see. The Haber-Bosch process, which turns air into fertilizer, is one of them. It feeds billions, yet almost no one…

When We Were Most Human

Aug 05, 2025 21m

The modern world is defined by acceleration. But what if the most stable—and perhaps most human—version of ourselves existed long before civilization? In this episode, we explore the world of the…

The History of the Future

Jul 28, 2025 19m

Why did we stop believing in utopia? By the late 19th century, many Americans had come to believe that the future would be defined by peace, prosperity, and moral progress. But over the next century,…

The Meaning of War

Jul 01, 2025 22m

Is it possible that war, for all its horror, once played a vital role in human flourishing—and that its disappearance has left a cultural and spiritual void? In this episode, we explore the…

The Decline of the West: Oswald Spengler's Prophetic Vision

Jun 19, 2025 18m

A century ago, Oswald Spengler warned that Western civilization was entering its final phase—not from war or catastrophe, but from cultural exhaustion. In The Decline of the West, he argued that…

Narrative Warfare: How National Stories Shape Geopolitics

Jun 12, 2025 19m

We often think global power is all about armies and technology. But what if the most decisive battles are fought through stories? In this episode of Context, we explore the concept of narrative…

PREVIEW: The Ghost in the Machine – Why We Believe in Robots

Jun 05, 2025 5m

This is a short preview of a supporter-only bonus episode. In this episode, I explore the psychological and philosophical reasons we keep projecting something human into our machines. From ancient…

The Lost Virtue of Boredom: What We Lose When We're Never Still

May 29, 2025 17m

We didn't cure boredom—we erased it. And in doing so, we may have lost one of the most quietly powerful forces in human development. In this episode of Context, I explore boredom as a lost human…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Context with Brad Harris have?

Context with Brad Harris has published 53 episodes since June 2018, covering topics in History, Society & Culture.

Is Context with Brad Harris still active?

Context with Brad Harris is currently active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 29m.

How do I contact Context with Brad Harris for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Context with Brad Harris, including email and social media links.

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