The Permanent Questions With David Brooks

About The Permanent Questions With David Brooks

What makes us human? How can I find purpose in life? How can my relationship survive a rough patch? What do I say to a friend who’s suffering? Does any of this mean anything at all? It’s easy to lose sight of fundamental human concerns amid the churn of the news cycle and the demands of every day. Each week on The Permanent Questions, host David Brooks seeks to return them to our attention through thoughtful conversation with the world’s deepest thinkers.

Publisher

The Atlantic

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Sept 2026

Latest episode

1 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

9 of 9 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   1 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Is Radicalism the Answer?

   Host David Brooks interviews intellectual historian and law professor Samuel Moyn about whether radical change is necessary to move beyond the Trump era.

2. 

   25 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Do Miracles Really Happen?

   David Brooks interviews religious historian Carlos Eire about early modern miracle reports and what we learn by taking them seriously.

3. 

   18 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Are We Too Political?

   David Brooks interviews Atlantic Editor in Chief Jeffrey Goldberg about the dangers of political obsession and the benefits of taking politics less seriously.

4. 

   11 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Do Human Beings Have Souls?

   David Brooks interviews philosopher Shelly Kagan about whether human beings possess souls and if their existence is necessary for dignity and wonder.

5. 

   4 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Should We Ban AI for Kids?

   David Brooks interviews social psychologist Jonathan Haidt about AI's impact on children and lessons from studying human nature.

6. 

   27 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   What Is the Meaning of Mystical Experience?

   David Brooks interviews Pulitzer Prize-winner Ayad Akhtar about spiritual transformation and seeing the world with new eyes in his novel, The Radiance.

7. 

   20 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   What Is Humanity’s Place in the Cosmos?

   Host David Brooks interviews astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan about the universe's latest scientific view and its implications for humanity's cosmic significance.

8. 

   13 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   What Is the Good Life?

   Host David Brooks interviews philosopher Meghan Sullivan about cultivating virtue and living a meaningful life, offering insights into the good life.

9. 

   4 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Introducing The Permanent Questions with David Brooks

   David Brooks interviews leading thinkers about life's enduring questions, offering profound insights into purpose, mortality, and community repair.

Inside a recent episode

Is Radicalism the Answer?

Published 1 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] A lot of oppression needed to be swept away. I mean, surely the fact that old men ruled for all those millennia, men ruled over women, fathers over children. didn't deserve the deference that you're, you know, suggesting we give it because it was oppressive. And so we have to sweep away some stuff. […]

Who has been a guest on The Permanent Questions With David Brooks

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Samuel Moyn
• Carlos Eire
• Jeffrey Goldberg
• Shelly Kagan
• Jonathan Haidt

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

347 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

24 ratings

Contact The Permanent Questions With David Brooks

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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  Matter of Opinion

Questions about The Permanent Questions With David Brooks