Sparta focused on physical prowess and bodily perfection. Athens on intellectual pursuit and artistic excellence. In large part Western culture has sided with Athens. Descartes placed thought at the centre of identity and since then we have prioritised intelligence and creativity as the core elements of education. But a new world may be upon us. Problem-solving skills appear to be in decline. The share of US adults unable to use mathematical reasoning to assess statements has risen to a high of 35%. In 2022, less than half reported reading a book. New research warns that outsourcing work to AI can result in forgetting how to think ourselves. Meanwhile, we are increasingly health and body-conscious and focus more on external appearance.

Is the Athenian age of the intellect over? And are we seeing a return to a new form of Spartan values? Or was the focus on thought itself a mistake and an avoidance of the simplicity and value of physical being? Multi-New York Times bestseller Sarah Wilson, founder of Humanity+, David Pearce, and transhumanist Anders Sandberg debate body and mind.