Episodes
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Alex Nowrasteh - What's Wrong With Nationalism?
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Alex speaks with Alex Nowrasteh about nationalism as more of an innate tendency towards ethnic tribalism than anything resembling patriotism, and how this tendency may never disappear, but is worth resisting nonetheless.
Episode Notes:
Alex's page at the Cato Insitute:
https://www.cato.org/people/alex-nowrasteh
Alex on X:
https://twitter.com/alexnowrasteh?lang=en
Alex's book "Wretched Refuse?: The Political Economy of Immigration and Institutions":
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Oyebade Oyerinde - Has Federalism Hurt Nigeria?
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Alex speaks with Oyebade Oyerinde about the state of federalism in Nigeria, and how western ideas of democracy, liberalism and centralization of powers have influenced the current state of politics in the African nation.
Episode Notes:
"Polycentric Interstate Federalism Among The Yoruba Of Nigeria: Lessons For Growing An International Federal Order" by Oyebade Kunle Oyerinde https://cosmosandtaxis.files.wordpress.com/2022/09/kunleoyerinde_ct_vol10_iss11_12.pdf
"Polycentric and Centralized Federalism in Africa" (Chapter 3) by Oyebade Kunle Oyerinde https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666902716/Issues-of-Governance-Security-and-Development-in-Contemporary-Africa
"Does Polycentric Order Make Sense?" by Oyebade Kunle Oyerinde https://isonomiaquarterly.com/archive/volume-2-issue-1/disorder-in-west-africa-does-polycentric-order-make-sense/
"Beyond Markets and States: Polycentric Governance of Complex Economic Systems" By Elinor Ostrom https://web.pdx.edu/~nwallace/EHP/OstromPolyGov.pdf
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
Jason Kuznicki - What Does Technology Have To Do With Gender?
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
Sabine speaks with Jason Kuznicki about the present, past, and future influence of technology on gender and why he questions the uproar made about a choice made by individuals in the market about their own self-expression and identity.
Episode Notes:
Jason's article "Gender as Essence and as Economic Choice" http://tinyurl.com/2p9byb5d
The Cosmos + Taxis issue on gender: http://tinyurl.com/2p9byb5d
Jason's newsletter "Pacification": http://tinyurl.com/yeycjzj
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Marian Tupy - Are We Better Off Than Before?
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Alex speaks with Marian Tupy about the notion that human progress has increased quality of life worldwide for centuries, making today the greatest time to be alive in the history of human life (in spite of what you may have heard elsewhere).
Episode Notes:
- Marian's book "Superabundance: The Story of Population Growth, Innovation, and Human Flourishing on an Infinitely Bountiful Planet" on Amazon Canada: https://a.co/d/boeFBP3
- Marian's profile and bio on the FEE website: https://fee.org/people/marian-l-tupy/
- An article breaking down the Malthusian thinking in the Avengers movie referenced by Marian https://carnegiemnh.org/defeating-thanos-and-his-malthusian-mission-of-population-control/
- A Youtube video giving some history and context for the Simon - Ehrlich bet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw2mn40BVo0
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Aeon Skoble - How Is Limiting Access to Information Harmful?
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Sabine speaks with Aeon Skoble about the harms of limiting access to information, including book bans and why a better understanding of ideas we disagree with often strengthens rather than weakens our arguments in support of the ideas we endorse.
Episode Notes:
- “Free Speech and the Function of a University” Aeon J. Skoble https://vc.bridgew.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2081&context=br_rev
- A brief history of Hume’s works being banned: https://oll.libertyfund.org/publications/reading-room/2023-10-25-donway-hume-great-work-on-religion-banned
- A handy breakdown from the University of Notre Dame on J.S. Mill’s case for disagreement and free speech in “On Liberty”: https://philife.nd.edu/j-s-mills-on-liberty-seek-disagreement/
- Jacob Mchangama’s book “Free Speech: A History From Socrates to Social Media” https://a.co/d/8lcEV6a
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
Eric Schliesser - Is Post-Liberalism Already Here?
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
Alex speaks with Eric Schliesser about the growing declarations of the end of liberalism and what this means for the socio-political future in general.
Episode Notes:
- Eric Schliesser’s page at the University of Amsterdam https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/s/c/e.s.schliesser/e.s.schliesser.html#Publications
- Kevin Vallier’s episode of this podcast discussing religious anti-liberalism: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/197-kevin-vallier-what-are-the-new-religious-threats-to-liberalism/
- Adrian Vermeulen’s publications https://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/adrian-vermeule/
- Tom Pink’s page at King’s College London: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/thomas-pink
- Yoram Hazony’s book on conservatism: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/thomas-pink
- Jacob Levy on borders and liberalism: https://www.niskanencenter.org/law-and-border/
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Akiva Malamet and Mikayla Novak - How Do Markets Influence Gender?
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Sabine speaks with Akiva Malamet and Mikayla Novak about the effects of market forces on gender as a social construct, the unlikely pairing of free markets and gender in an age of socialist feminist theory, and their recent co-authored article in Cosmos + Taxis.
Episode Notes:
"Gender as a Discovery Process: Social Construction, Markets, and Gender" Akiva Malamet and Mikayla Novak https://cosmosandtaxis.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/malamet_novak_ct_vol11_iss11_12_epub.pdf
Randall Holcombe on Spontaneous Order:
https://doi.org/10.1177/1473095212458270
David Pozen "We Are All Entrepreneurs Now":
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1044021
Immanuel Kant first introduces the concepts of "phenomena" and "noumena" in his critical philosophy, particularly in his work titled "Critique of Pure Reason" (Kritik der reinen Vernunft), which was first published in 1781.
Isreal Kirzner on Entrepreneurship:
https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Kirzner.html
Jason Kuznicki "Human, Transhuman, Transgender.":
https://www.libertarianism.org/columns/human-transhuman-transgender
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Ryan Thorpe - Is Journalism In Trouble?
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Sabine Speaks with Ryan Thorpe about the state of Journalism in Canada and about how bills C-18, C-11 and government subsidies for journalism are compromising an industry necessary for democratic participation in an age when accountability is more important than ever.
Episode Notes:
Ryan's page on the Winnipeg Free Press website: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/biographies/ryan-thorpe
A primer on Canada's Bill C-18: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/understanding-bill-c-18-canada-s-online-news-act-and-its-proposed-rules-explained-1.6488532
Canadaland's statement regarding denial of government subsidies: https://www.canadaland.com/how-to-support-canadaland/
A legal perspective on Bill C-11: https://www.lexpert.ca/legal-insights/exploring-the-controversy-around-bill-c-11/380414
Sy Hersh's C-SPAN speech describing how he exposed the My Lai massacre: https://www.c-span.org/video/?62006-1/vietnam-war-lai-massacre
Torstar losing approximately 50 million dollars a year: http://surl.li/pqchw
Blacklocks reporter on the memo to Pablo Rodriguez demonstrating the failure of public subsidies to Canadian media: https://www.blacklocks.ca/media-bailout-failed-memo/
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Tyler Cowen - Who Is The Greatest Economist Of All Time?
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Matt speaks with Tyler Cowen about his recent book "GOAT:
Who is the Greatest Economist of all Time and Why Does it Matter?", as they discuss the case for and against each of the top finalists, and the interactive AI features that Tyler has integrated into the book's online release.
Episode Notes:
The full book plus all interactive AI features can be found for free here: https://goatgreatesteconomistofalltime.ai/en
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Matthew Mitchell and Peter Boettke - What Can We Learn From Estonia?
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Alex speaks with Peter Boettke and Matthew Mitchell about their recent book co-authored with Konstantin Zhukov about the unusual rise of Estonia from the ashes of Stalinism to their current status as one of the freest nations on earth.
Episode Notes:
The conversation focusses on the book "Road To Freedom" which can be read in its entirety here: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/road-to-freedom-estonias-rise-from-soviet-vassal-state-to-one-of-the-freest-nations-on-earth_0.pdf
A similar publication on the economic history of Poland by these same authors can be read in its entirety here: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/road-to-socialism-and-back-an-economic-history-of-poland-1939-2019.pdf
Wednesday Jan 03, 2024
Nick Cowen - Is Public Ignorance A Problem?
Wednesday Jan 03, 2024
Wednesday Jan 03, 2024
Alex speaks with Nick Cowen about democracy, markets, and his forthcoming article "Include The Ignorant"
Episode Notes:
- Jason Brennan "Against Democracy" https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691178493/against-democracy
- On the Compatibility of Epistocracy and Public Reason
by Thomas Mulligan https://www.jstor.org/stable/24575740
- Hayek on Limited Democracy, Dictatorships, and the ‘Free’ Market: An Interview in Argentina, 1977
"Birsen Filip" https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-91358-2_10
Wednesday Dec 27, 2023
Mike Munger - Can Classical Liberalism Be Saved?
Wednesday Dec 27, 2023
Wednesday Dec 27, 2023
Alex speaks with Mike Munger about the state of classical liberalism in an era in which conservatism seems intent on wielding the tools of central planning and the left prefers the term "progressive" to "liberal".
Episode Notes:
The Classical Liberal Diaspora by Mike Munger: https://t.co/xoRnPIUXXi
The Articles of Confederation: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Articles-of-Confederation
Preamble to the United States constitution: https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/us
Fusionism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusionism
Albert Jay Nock and The Remnant: https://mises.org/library/isaiahs-job
Chile rewriting its constitution: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/chilean-congressional-council-finalizes-new-draft-constitution-again-2023-10-30/
Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
Lauren Hall - Is Gender An Emergent Order?
Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
Wednesday Dec 20, 2023
Sabine speaks with Lauren K Hall, who defends the notion that feminism is an emergent order, and speaks about her recent special edition of Cosmos+Taxis.
Episode Notes:
All articles in the most recent edition of Cosmos+Taxis are linked here:
https://cosmosandtaxis.org/current-issue/
Sarah Blaffer Hrdy "The Woman That Never Evolved":
https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1khdr6b
Kimberle Crenshaw "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex:
A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination
Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics":
https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=uclf
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Clara Piano - Does Greater Economic Freedom Lead To More Babies?
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Matt speaks with Clara Piano about the relationship between economic freedom, fertility, and the roles that modernization and increasing well-being for women have on the number of babies that are born in countries around the world.
Episode Notes:
"The Fertility Gap and Economic Freedom" by Clara Piano & Lyman Stone https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4564080
"The Fertility Benefits of Economic Freedom" by Clara E. Piano https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-fertility-benefits-of-economic-freedom
"The Best Policy for Supporting Families Is “Do No Harm”" by Clara E. Piano https://www.aier.org/article/the-best-policy-for-supporting-families-is-do-no-harm/
Some history on "The Population Bomb" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/book-incited-worldwide-fear-overpopulation-180967499/
Wednesday Dec 06, 2023
Sarah Skwire - Why Should Liberals Read Shakespeare?
Wednesday Dec 06, 2023
Wednesday Dec 06, 2023
Sabine speaks with Sarah Skwire about the fascinating world of Shakespeare and why there are so many lessons we can learn from a pre-enlightenment playwright about markets, politics, and the human condition.
Episode Notes:
- Mike Huemer's Post on Shakespeare: https://fakenous.substack.com/p/why-i-hate-shakespeare
- "The Comedy of The Errors" https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/the-comedy-of-errors/read/#:~:text=Synopsis%3A,named%20Dromio%2C%20as%20their%20servants.
- Sarah on Shakespeare and Immigration: https://fee.org/articles/even-shakespeare-knew-that-kicking-out-immigrants-harms-us-all/
- Adam Smith on Human Sympathy: https://www.adamsmithworks.org/documents/smith-on-sympathy-lauren-hall-12-1
- Summary of Shakespeare's "Sir Thomas More": https://nosweatshakespeare.com/sir-thomas-more-play/
- Adam Smith's misrecollection of Othello https://www.adamsmithworks.org/speakings/skwire-smith-shakespeare-slips-end-of-othello
- Intro to "Measure for Measure": https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/measure-for-measure/
- Commentary on the Political Theology of First Samuel: https://www.theologyofwork.org/old-testament/samuel-kings-chronicles-and-work/from-tribal-confederation-to-monarchy-1-samuel/
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
David Friedman - What Is Anarcho-Capitalism?
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Alex speaks with David Friedman about defenses, definitions and critiques of Anarcho-Capitalism in David's work and in others'.
Episode Notes:
- Summary of David's book "The Machinery of Freedom" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Machinery_of_Freedom
- Some of Ayn Rand's views on Libertarianism and Anarcho-Capitalism: http://aynrandlexicon.com/ayn-rand-ideas/ayn-rand-q-on-a-on-libertarianism.html
- Some of David's comments on his Father's views of his work can be found here: https://www.econlib.org/archives/2011/07/david_friedmans_1.html
- The Stanford Encyclopedia's entry on Anarchism https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/anarchism/#:~:text=Libertarianism%20and%20anarcho%2Dcapitalism%20also,the%20idea%20of%20social%20development.
- "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" - Robert A. Heinlein https://a.co/d/4gmWZrP
- "The Private Enforcement of Law" - Landes and Posner https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=259376
- "Law Enforcement, Malfeasance, and Compensation of Enforcers" - Gary S. Becker and George J. Stigler https://laws21.classes.ryansafner.com/readings/Becker-Stigler-1974.pdf
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Iain Murray - What Has Happened to Conservatism?
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Matt speaks with Iain Murray about the estrangement of conservative liberalism from identitarian forms of conservative nationalism and the intriguing alliances that may arise in the future between freedom-loving libertarians and some unlikely allies.
Episode Notes:
Iain's book "The Socialist Temptation" https://a.co/d/5AUQHQp
One of Iain's articles on the subject https://cei.org/blog/european-populism-is-nationalist-conservatism/
"Do Libertarians Have a Political Home Anymore?" by Iain Murray https://www.acton.org/religion-liberty/volume-35-number-1-2/do-libertarians-have-political-home-anymore
Summary of Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillbilly_Elegy
Ezra Klein's comment on "Everything Bagel Liberalism" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/02/opinion/democrats-liberalism.html
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Brad Lips - Is The Liberty Movement In Trouble?
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Sabine speaks with Atlas Network's Brad Lips about what's in store for the liberty movement all over the world.
Episode Notes:
- The Atlas Network https://www.atlasnetwork.org/who-we-are
- Brad's book "Liberalism and the Free Society in 2021" https://a.co/d/0Bcor8q
- The Free Market Foundation https://freemarketfoundation.com/
- Article summarizing Margaret Thatcher's relationship with Anthony Fisher https://philanthropydaily.com/margaret-thatcher-and-antony-fisher-free-markets-and-philanthropy/
- Watler Williams on South Africa https://www.annistonstar.com/the_st_clair_times/stclair_opinion/walter-williams-ridding-south-africa-of-apartheid-and-what-replaces-it-column/article_da26121e-ad32-11e8-ba86-7783725cd2d4.html
- Centre for Civil Society in India https://ccs.in/
Wednesday Nov 08, 2023
Mark Mercer - What’s Wrong With Universities?
Wednesday Nov 08, 2023
Wednesday Nov 08, 2023
Matt speaks with Mark Mercer about academic freedom, the changing mission of universities themselves, and what role faculty, administrators, and students should play in shaping the future of the institution.
References:
- Mark’s Interview in C2C Journal: https://c2cjournal.ca/2023/05/confronting-the-post-academic-university-in-conversation-with-mark-mercer/
- Peter March at St. Mary’s: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/students-protest-prof-who-posted-cartoons-1.623017
- Kathleen Lowrey at University of Alberta: https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/u-of-a-professor-says-she-was-dismissed-over-views-that-biological-sex-trumps-transgender-identity-for-policy-decisions
- Tomáš Hudlický at Brock University: https://niagaraindependent.ca/remembering-professor-tomas-hudlicky-and-how-poorly-brock-university-treated-him/
- The Chicago Principles: https://provost.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/documents/reports/FOECommitteeReport.pdf
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Cory Massimino - How Do We Abolish Prisons?
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Alex speaks with Cory Massimino about the concept of prison abolition and how this position corresponds with natural rights theory and recent movements demanding the end of prisons as we know them.
Read some of Cory’s published and unpublished pieces on prison abolition here: thttp://corymassimino.com/tag/prison-abolition/