New conversations. Published regularly.
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Latest Episode
Season 2 Begins Where Certainty Ends — August 2026
In this special announcement episode, Jim Detjen shares what’s changing, why the show is evolving beyond headlines and culture-war reactions, and how Think First is expanding into a broader long-form exploration of perception, memory, belief, institutional trust, consciousness, mythology, AI, narrative formation, and the psychology of reality itself.
Begin Here
Start with three conversations that best introduce the questions and ideas shaping Think First Institute.
About Think First with Jim Detjen
Think First with Jim Detjen is the flagship public-inquiry program of Think First Institute.
Through long-form conversations, it examines the people, ideas, events, and institutions shaping perception, judgment, and public understanding in an accelerated age.
Rather than defending predetermined conclusions, the program practices disciplined inquiry—bringing evidence, competing perspectives, historical context, and intellectual humility to questions that increasingly shape public life.
The goal is not agreement.
The goal is clearer thinking.
Think First began as a shorter-form commentary program. Earlier episodes reflect that original format and editorial period. Beginning with Season 2, the program is expanding into longer-form inquiry guided by the standards of Think First Institute.
Continue the Inquiry
Continue exploring the Charter, Fields of Inquiry, publications, research, and Fellowship that carry the Institute's work