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New Enlightenment

New Enlightenment

Written by: New Enlightenment with Adam Dixon
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 Debate and free expression of ideas are the foundation of an open and prosperous society. From Adam Smith’s Panmure House, New Enlightenment host Adam Dixon talks with leading minds about politics, economics, philosophy, and technology. https://panmurehouse.org/ https://twitter.com/AdamSmithHouse https://twitter.com@DrAdam_Dixon https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-dixon-04b28130/New Enlightenment with Adam Dixon Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Digital Sovereignty: Europe’s Future in the Age of AI

    Digital Sovereignty: Europe’s Future in the Age of AI
    Nov 11 2025
    With the use of AI on the rise, what does the future of Europe's digital future look like? In this conversation, Professor Adam Dixon and Professor Daniel Mügge explore the concept of digital sovereignty in Europe, particularly in the context of artificial intelligence and technology regulation. They discuss the implications of foreign tech dominance, the role of public authorities in shaping digital policies, and the balance between regulation and innovation. The conversation also touches on the responsibilities of parents in managing technology use among children, the potential of AI in healthcare, and the need for Europe to navigate its position in a global tech landscape dominated by the US and China. Ultimately, they advocate for a balanced approach that prioritises citizen engagement and collective self-determination in the digital age.Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction to Digital Sovereignty03:16 Understanding Digital Sovereignty in Europe05:51 The Role of European Tech Companies08:33 Economic Arguments for European Tech Champions 11:09 Regulation vs. Innovation in Europe 13:44 The Nature of Innovation and Regulation 16:36 Balancing Regulation and Individual Responsibility 19:33 The Role of Parents in Regulating Technology 22:10 The Impact of Technology on Society 25:04 The Future of Digital Regulation29:54 Navigating Information in the Digital Age31:13 Regulatory Dynamics in Europe vs. the USA34:06 The Challenges of Regulating Rapid Technological Change37:50 Balancing Innovation and Regulation in Europe 43:05 The Precautionary Principle in Technological Development 47:37 Corporate vs. State Influence 51:30 Harnessing Big Tech for Public Good _________________Professor Daniel MüggeLinkedIn _________________Professor Adam Dixon ⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠X⁠ ⁠⁠Book⁠s #digitalsovereignty #adamsmith #professoradamdixon #podcast #china #artificialIntelligence #ai #EuropeanRegulation #technology #innovation #publicpolicy #techandethics #techcompanies #citizenengagement #dataprotection #dataprivacy #healthcaretechnology #techdynamics
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    57 mins
  • Could AI Slow Down Innovation?

    Could AI Slow Down Innovation?
    Sep 11 2025

    EPISODE 38 | Why has technological progress slowed, even as AI promises to transform our world?


    In this episode of the New Enlightenment Podcast from Adam Smith’s Panmure House, host Adam Dixon sits down with Professor Carl Benedikt Frey—Oxford economist and author of How Progress Ends—to explore one of the most pressing questions of our time: why are new technologies no longer delivering the economic and societal gains they once did?


    Together, they examine:

    🔸 The paradox of innovation without growth

    🔸 The geopolitical race between the US and China

    🔸The hidden bottlenecks in scientific discovery

    🔸 The ways AI may both accelerate and undermine learning


    Chapters

    00:00 – Introduction: The Paradox of Progress

    02:36 – Defining Progress vs. Improvement

    05:45 – Technology, Well-Being, and Growth

    08:45 – AI’s Promise and Its Limits

    11:40 – Antimicrobial Resistance and Innovation Challenges

    14:18 – Bottlenecks in Scientific Discovery

    17:26 – AI, Learning, and Human Potential

    21:47 – Lessons from Historical Innovation Races

    24:17 – Could AI Slow Innovation?

    28:46 – Incentives and the Architecture of Progress

    34:28 – Work, Identity, and Human Worth

    36:25 – Geoeconomics and the Battle for Tech Dominance

    46:56 – Market Dynamism vs. State Capitalism


    Drawing on history, economics, and cutting-edge research, Frey argues that progress is never inevitable—it depends on the right institutions, incentives, and market dynamism.


    If you care about the future of productivity, prosperity, and human flourishing in the age of AI, you're going to want to listen to this episode.

    _________________

    Professor Carl Benedikt Frey

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    X

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    Professor Adam Dixon ⁠⁠

    Book⁠

    ⁠X⁠⁠

    LinkedIn⁠

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    47 mins
  • How a French Leftist Diagnosed Today’s Threat to Liberty: Diagnosing the New Authoritarianism Through Foucault

    How a French Leftist Diagnosed Today’s Threat to Liberty: Diagnosing the New Authoritarianism Through Foucault
    Aug 8 2025

    Can classical liberals learn something from Michel Foucault?

    It’s a question most proponents of free-market capitalism would never ask - but in this episode, Mark Pennington argues the answer is yes.

    Joined by Adam Dixon, Pennington dismantles the academic silos around Foucault and repositions the postmodern critic of power as a surprising ally in understanding the erosion of liberal society.

    They explore how Foucault’s work - usually mobilised to critique so-called neoliberalism - actually reveals how surveillance, managerialism, and technocratic control threaten the foundations of individual freedom. From public health mandates to ESG-driven policy, the conversation critiques the creeping illiberalism hiding behind progressive institutions and expert-led governance.

    Pennington doesn't rehabilitate Foucault so much as weaponise him - arguing that if classical liberals want to understand how power works today, they need to take Foucault seriously, not dismiss him as a postmodern relic.

    _________________

    Mark Pennington

    Book

    X _________________

    Adam Dixon

    Book

    X

    LinkedIn

    Website

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    58 mins
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