About

Big Think: F.A.Q.

What is Big Think?

bigthink.com is a new and growing website, currently in its beta version, with a simple mission:

This is a digital age, one in which a wealth of accessible information empowers you, the citizen-consumer. But where is the information coming from? How accurate and unprocessed is it, really? Ask yourself this: how empowered do you feel debating a television screen or a newspaper?

Our task is to move the discussion away from talking heads and talking points, and give it back to you. That is Big Think's mission. In practice, this means that our information is truly interactive. When you log onto our site, you can access hundreds of hours of direct, unfiltered interviews with today's leading thinkers, movers and shakers. You can search them by question or by topic, and, best of all, respond in kind. Upload a video in which you take on Senator Ted Kennedy's views on immigration; post a slideshow of your trip to China that supports David Dollar's assertion that pollution in China is a major threat; or answer with plain old fashioned text. You can respond to the interviewee, respond to a responder or heck, throw your own question or idea into the ring.

Big Think is yours. We are what you think.

We are still a work in progress, so suggestions are welcome: suggestions@bigthink.com

Music in the clips courtesy of Zeb from Cairo.

About Our Interviews

The interviews are just one aspect of the site. They are meant to spark discussion by giving you examples of what today's leaders think about broader issues, rather than the blow-by-blow nitty-gritty you see on network news.

To make our guests more accessible, we have interviewed them using a technique developed by documentarian Errol Morris. This method slices out the interviewer, and gives you direct eye contact with the person being interviewed.

As of November 2007, we have interviewed scores of academics, politicians, writers, artists and presidential candidates, with many more on the way. We also have an expert network of leaders in their fields who will regularly update us on developments in areas ranging from medicine to show business. Now you get to sit in the interviewers chair and watch the best of the best explain the world as they see it.

Stay tuned for regularly added new content! We'd also like suggestions of thought leaders you'd like to hear from.

Email us if you have a suggestion (suggestions@bigthink.com) or if you want to be interviewed (guests@bigthink.com).

What are The 10 Questions?

The 10 Questions are at the very heart of Big Think. Our goal is to get at something deeper, to draw out a guest's personality and interests, to get them thinking beyond the usual fare of near-sighted punditry we have become used to. With that in mind, The 10 Questions were designed to be the backbone of every Big Think interview.

They are only a starting point, however. In answering The 10 Questions, you can be specific or general, or go on as many interesting tangents as you like. More importantly, the questions are a way to organize and compare how people of vastly different backgrounds respond to the same prompt. How, for example, does your take on Washington politics differ from those of Sir Richard Branson and Sen. Arlen Specter?

It's not only about seeing how your ideas stack up against others, however; it's also about making better sense of what you think.

What is the Idea Network?

Every idea created on the site finds a home in The Idea Network. The Network is intended to be a cross-section of the Big Think project, a place to expose yourself to a range of perspectives and people. You may not agree with everything you see, but we promise you will be glad you took a peek.

What is the Expert Network?

The Web has no shortage of self-anointed experts, and the Expert Network is our way of reclaiming a little nook of cyberspace where depth of knowledge and expertise still reign. To that end, we have chosen people who are the best of the best of the best in a variety of fields and equipped them with webcams. Every couple of weeks, they will report on the latest developments in their area of expertise. It's a finger on the pulse of academia, business, politics, science and art.

How do you choose experts?

We choose experts on the basis of one simple criterion: they are among the best of the best at what they do. Of course, that's not so clear-cut, so we look to a range of factors, including a person's body of published work, peer recommendations, professional honors, and popular interest. Fame is by no means a pre-requisite to be an expert, however. If you think you qualify, we invite you to apply to be one of our experts and share your knowledge with the world (info@bigthink.com).

How do I create a user account?

To create a user account, select Click here to register in the Login box.

After choosing a user name and password, and responding to the confirmation email, you will be ready to share your ideas with the world.

What's an idea?

You have probably had millions of these in your lifetime, but maybe you haven't had a chance to share your ideas with the world outside of your college professors, friends, and coworkers. Here's your chance.

Ideas posted on bigthink.com can take the form of a question or a statement. You can, of course, interpret that however you wish, but bear in mind that by submitting an idea, you're entering it into the public sphere. Sure, some of your ideas will be greeted with hearty hurrah's, but others might be met with strident disagreement. But that's the fun of it. Enough preaching to the choir, enough ideological isolationism. We want to pull you into a lively and challenging debate.

So what ideas qualify? Anything goes, really. It can be something you read and thought was interesting, or something you might bring up in conversation or over dinner with friends. Or you can think of it this way: what do you know that you think others should, too?

What's the difference between a response and a comment?

There are three ways to contribute on bigthink.com.

One is to submit your own original statement or question to start the conversation. Your idea will then be open to debate on the site.

You can also respond to the statements and questions of other users. When you respond to an idea, you will join a running conversation thread.

Or you can submit a comment if you are not ready to jump right into fray, but still have something to say. Comments on Big Think function much like they do on any other site; they give you a chance to share your thoughts as a spectator rather than as a participant.

For more information, check out the feature How do I use Big Think?

Or, see what other users have to say about issues relating to the site at Big Think's Community Forums.