Free Thoughts

Eamonn Butler joins us to discuss his new book Ayn Rand: An Introduction. Why does Rand’s work remain so influential? Her thinking still has a profound impact, particularly on those who come to it through her novels, Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead—with their core messages of individualism, self-worth, and the right to live without the impositions of others. Eamonn Butler is the Director of the Adam Smith Institute. In this episode, we discuss Ayn Rand, her work as a fiction author, and her fascinating life and history.  Further Readings/References:Find Ayn Rand: An Introduction now available on www.libertarianism.orgMore about Eamonn Butler.More about Ayn Rand.More on Objectivism.Excursions into Libertarian Thought - Series on Ayn Rand and Altruism See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Keith E. Whittington joins us this week to discuss his new book Speak Freely: Why Universities Must Defend Free Speech. Whittington argues that universities must protect and encourage free speech because vigorous free speech is the lifeblood of the university.  We discuss free speech on campus, the use of trigger warnings and how universities can promote freedom of thought and ideological diversity.Further Readings/References:Speak Freely: Why Universities Must Defend Free SpeechMore work by Keith E. Whittington Campus Freedom - Free Thoughts PodcastCampus Censorship and the End of American Debate See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter T. Leeson joins us to talk about his new book WTF?!: An Economic Tour of the Weird. Peter T. Leeson is the Duncan Black Professor of Economics and Law at George Mason University. We discuss some of the world’s strangest customs and behaviors; everything from convicting insects of crimes in a court of law to wife sales. How can this be rational economic behavior?Further Readings/References:WTF?!: An Economic Tour of the Weird by Peter T. LeesonMore work by Peter T. Leeson See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Hasnas joins us this week to discuss the evolutionary process of common law. What is common law? Is it a completely random process? If common law is so great, why is there so much legislation?Further Readings/References:More about John Hasnas“Common Law” - The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism.orgNatural Law: Origins of Common Law See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Radley Balko and Tucker Carrington join us to discuss forensic science and the criminal justice system. We also discuss structural racism, Mississippi’s inadequate death investigation system and the relationships between police, prosecutors and forensic scientists.Further Readings/References:The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist: A True Story of Injustice in the American SouthThe Changing Role of Criminal Law - Free Thoughts Podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Timothy Sandefur joins us for a conversation on Frederick Douglass. We also discuss the abolitionist movement, Douglass’s relationship with President Abraham Lincoln and how Frederick Douglass fits in with subsequent leaders of the black civil rights movement. Timothy Sandefur is the author of Frederick Douglass: Self-Made Man. Further Readings/References:How Libertarians Ought to Think About the U.S. Civil War by Timothy SandefurFrederick DouglassSlavery in AmericaMore on Drapetomania See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jay Schweikert and Clark Neily join us for a conversation on law enforcement and accountability. We also discuss qualified immunity and how technology is helping to combat police misconduct.The Problem of Police Misconduct - Free Thoughts Podcast Thin Blue Lies: How Pretextual Stops Undermine Police LegitimacyClark NeilyJay Schweikert See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rick Doblin joins us to gives us a primer on the medical uses of psychedelics. Rick Doblin is the Founder and Executive Director for MAPS; the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. We discuss the War on Drugs, how those suffering from PTSD are benefiting from psychedelics and how the DEA could hinder the research surrounding psychedelics and marijuana.Rick DoblinMAPS - Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic StudiesDrug Prohibition -  Encyclopedia of Libertarianism.orgIllicit Drugs - Encyclopedia of Libertarianism.orgChasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs - Free Thoughts Podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Robert Whaples joins us for a conversation on the Pope’s earnest call to build a truly compassionate society. Pope Francis’s fervent support for uplifting the poor and protecting the environment has inspired far-reaching discussions worldwide.  But what is the most effective way to fight poverty? And what value does a religious perspective offer in addressing moral, political, and economic problems?Further Readings/References:Pope Francis and the Caring SocietyRobert WhaplesLaudato si’ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bryan Caplan gives us the case against traditional education and how employers reward workers for costly schooling they rarely if ever use, and why cutting education spending is the best remedy. Why have decades of growing access to education have not resulted in better jobs for the average worker but instead in runaway credential inflation?Further Readings/References:The Case against EducationEncyclopedia of Libertarianism: EducationFree Thoughts Podcast: The Education ApocalypseFree Thoughts Podcast: The State of State Education More about Bryan Caplan’s work See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kate Sills joins us for a conversation on smart contracts and the future of blockchain technology. We also discuss how Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency platforms are using smart contracts to ensure a more secure network, the DAO implosion and the future of cryptography.More about Kate Sills http://katelynsills.com/Free Thoughts Episode: Your World on the BlockchainEncyclopedia of Libertarianism: Voluntary Contract EnforcementEncyclopedia of Libertarianism: Contractarianism/Social Contract See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cato Institute Vice President of Communications Khristine Brookes joins us to discuss the ever-changing world of news and media. How has social media changed the way we consume news? Are traditional news sources eventually going to die out?Further Readings/References:Cato Institute Media Highlights See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tom W. Bell joins us for a Live Free Thoughts to talk about the emerging trend of bottom up governments. Private providers increasingly deliver services that political authorities formerly monopolized, inspiring greater competition and efficiency. We discuss this quiet revolution that is transforming governments with the potential to bring more freedom, peace and prosperity to people everywhere.Further Readings/References:Watch the full Cato Institute event with Tom W. Bell; Your Next Government?: From the Nation State to Stateless NationsFind Tom’s book here;  Your Next Government?: From the Nation State to Stateless Nations See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Samples joins us to discuss how the Trump presidency is challenging America’s institutions. Political institutions in America are designed to stop someone like a populist or a demagogue; someone not fit for presidency. We discuss how America’s institutions have fared thus far, with a president that refuses to follow the norms, and if we should expect more celebrity presidents.Show notes and Further ReadingsMatthew mentions that on Friday, January 12th Trump had just said something disparagingRoss Douthat, The Tempting of the Media (2017)The Claremont Institute, The Flight 93 Election (2016) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Emma Ashford gives us a primer on Saudi Arabia, the oil-rich Middle Eastern nation that is also one of the last remaining absolute monarchies in the world.We talk about the history of the Saudi royal family, Saudi Arabia’s importance in Islam, the discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia after the first World War, the country’s legal system and culture, American-Saudi relations over the years, and what’s next for the kingdom as its rulership passes to a new generation.Show Notes and Further ReadingHere’s the photo Ashford references, of Franklin Delano Roosevelt meeting Ibn Saud in 1945.Here’s Thomas Friedman’s quite obsequious and gushing article about meeting Mohammad bin Salman.Other Free Thoughts episodes on the Middle East, radical Islamic terrorism, and oil-producing nations:“How Much Should We Worry About ISIS?” with Emma Ashford“Is the Iran Deal a Good Deal?” with Emma Ashford and John Glaser“What Are the Risks of Terrorism?” John Mueller and Mark G. Stewart See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out infor

David Kopel joins us again to discuss firearms, gun violence, mass shootings, and whether a gun-free America is possible or desirable. Are there more mass shootings than ever before? What, if anything, can be done about them?We also discuss the differences between mass shootings and spree killings, popular gun control methods in other countries around the world, the definition of an “assault weapon,” gun storage and safety, and we debunk common myths about gun ownership.Show Notes and Further ReadingDavid B. Kopel, The Truth About Gun Control (2013)John R. Lott, Jr., More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws (2010)Other Free Thoughts episodes on guns, gun control, and the Second Amendment:“The Right to Keep and Bear Arms” with David B. Kopel“The Second Amendment at the Supreme Court” with Alan Gura See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

George Selgin joins us again on Free Thoughts for a conversation about the origins and role of the Federal Reserve.What is the Federal Reserve? What does it do, and what authority does it have? Why was the Fed created, and what was it’s role in the 2008 financial crisis?Show Notes and Further ReadingHere is Selgin’s newest study on the founding of the Federal Reserve.Here are our previous Free Thoughts episodes with Selgin:The Story of Money in the United StatesThe Gold Standard Won’t Be Coming Back See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Will Duffield joins us this week to talk about the freedom of speech in the internet era. How has the shift to digital communication changed interpretations of the First Amendment?We discuss the implications of lower barriers to entry for ownership of the mechanisms for distribution of speech, draw a distinction between speech gatekeepers and speech enablers, think about whether big web companies are beginning to act like states, and have a conversation about “fake news.”Show Notes and Further ReadingHere’s the Youtube video Aaron mentions about software that can manipulate mouth and lip movement in video.Our Free Thoughts episode with Brock Cusick on the blockchain. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Michael Strong joins us this week to talk about the role that capitalism and social entrepreneurship play in alleviating global poverty.We also discuss special economic zones, startup cities, the right of exit, mechanisms of public choice, and seasteading.Show Notes and Further ReadingStrong is the author of Be the Solution: How Entrepreneurs and Conscious Capitalists Can Solve All the World’s Problems (2009) and The Habit of Thought: From Socratic Seminars to Socratic Practice (1997).Strong’s articles “Naomi Klein, Young Earth Creationist” and “Towards a Hierarchy of Moral Outrage”.Here’s our Free Thoughts episode with Bruce Benson.John Hasnas’s essay “The Obviousness of Anarchy”.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Brink Lindsey and Steven M. Teles join us to discuss four pathological policy regimes they say are responsible for the slow growth and high inequality that’s plagued the US economy in the twenty-first century.The case studies presented in Lindsey and Teles’s new book highlight how financial regulation, occupational licensing, intellectual property, and zoning and land use policies have been captured by the powerful and politically-connected to enrich themselves at others’ expense.Show Notes and Further ReadingLindsey and Teles’s book is The Captured Economy: How the Powerful Enrich Themselves, Slow Down Growth, and Increase Inequality (2017). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.