In this episode, Jesse Hirsh explores how Ontario can lead the next era of agri-food innovation through openness, foresight, and resilience. Drawing on his keynote for the Agri-Food 2050 event, he argues that disruption is no longer a storm to weather but the environment we live in — and that trust, literacy, and community are our most vital infrastructures.

From AI and automation to open source collaboration and microbial intelligence, Jesse outlines a vision for a food system that learns, adapts, and regenerates. One rooted in shared stewardship, entrepreneurial literacy, and a public commitment to designing systems worthy of the people who depend on them.

Key themes:

Foresight • AI & automation • Open source • Data integration • Trust • Literacy • Fermentation • Resilience

In this Metaviews salon, our motley crew dove deep into the wild and wondrous terrain of language—its power, its peril, and its paradoxes.

We summoned thinkers like George Lakoff, Noam Chomsky, and Walter Ong to help frame the discussion, but as always, the most revelatory insights emerged from the collective intelligence of the group.

We debated the boundaries of language—do animals possess it, or merely the shadows of it? Many argued convincingly that they do, challenging long-held anthropocentric assumptions. Language, after all, may not be exclusive to humans, even if its structures differ across species.

We also wrestled with the viral nature of language: its ability to spread, mutate, and infect. Language is a force that inhabits us as much as we wield it—shaping perception, encoding power, and scaffolding our understanding of reality. It is both deeply social and intensely contextual, shifting meaning depending on time, place, and speaker.

In a world of proliferating dialects and splintered platforms, we noted how common meaning feels increasingly rare. Language is flourishing in diversity, yet fragmented in cohesion. Are we losing the ability to understand each other even as we gain new ways to express ourselves?

It was, once again, a brilliant gathering—part provocation, part poetry. The Metaviews salon continues to prove that spontaneous conversation, when anchored in curiosity and care, can illuminate what formal discourse often obscures.

Jesse Hirsh introduces the season 3 premiere of Metaviews with a compelling discussion about the intricate concept of "the nature of nature." The episode delves into how the term "nature" has become a catch-all reference point in discussions that often intertwine with politics and morality, leading to a paradoxical relationship with the environment—a relationship that is becoming increasingly urgent in light of climate change. The participants, a diverse group of insightful thinkers, explore the implications of our understanding of nature, questioning whether our perceptions and classifications truly reflect its essence or merely serve our human narratives. As they engage in lively banter, they touch on the idea that our interpretations of nature are often filtered through cultural lenses, which complicates our interaction with the world around us. This episode promises to challenge listeners to reconsider their connection to nature and the frameworks through which they view it, all while maintaining a light-hearted, witty tone throughout the conversation.

Takeaways:

• The podcast explores the complex relationship between humans and nature, emphasizing how our perceptions shape our understanding of what nature truly is.
• Listeners are encouraged to consider how cultural perspectives influence our interpretations of nature, highlighting the importance of indigenous knowledge in understanding ecological systems.
• A recurring theme is the paradox of human control over nature versus the inherent unpredictability of natural systems, as demonstrated by the responses of various species to environmental changes.
• The discussion delves into the implications of language in defining our relationship with nature, suggesting that our linguistic constructs can often obscure the innate interconnectedness of all living things.