Free Thoughts

Over a century ago most Americans gave birth and died at home, with minimal medical intervention. But today, most Americans today begin and end their lives in hospitals. Over time policies have forced people away from community-based providers, like birth centers, and toward more costly care in fully-equipped hospitals. Lauren K. Hall joins the show today to talk about the medicalization of birth and death.Has our health care system gone too far? Do we receive too much care? What is the purpose of hospitals? Do we standardize health care too much? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What is human nature? It’s a question that’s intrigued philosophers for as long as there’s been philosophy. It’s also where quite a lot of political philosophy begins, imagining how our nature would have us live in a world before government.How and why do humans cooperate? Why do we interact with people at all? Is there an issue with freedom of assembly? What kind of society is good for us to live together successfully? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

George Selgin and Diego Zuluaga are back on the show today to talk about the potential of bitcoin. Throughout the conversation they discuss how bitcoin has had it’s up and downs, but this fluctuation does not indicate whether bitcoin is a successful alternative money.How old is Bitcoin? Does the price of Bitcoin tell us anything meaningful? Is Bitcoin a meaningful money alternative? Where is Bitcoin accepted as payment? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bobby Duffy draws on his research into public perception across more than forty countries, offering a sweeping account of the stubborn problem of human delusion: how society breeds it, why it will never go away, and what our misperceptions say about what we really believe.How do we consume information differently now than we did in the 1950’s? How do we gain knowledge about the world around us? Why are Americans high in confidence but low in true knowledge? Are Americans creating false beliefs from false information?Further Reading:Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything: A Theory of Human Misunderstanding, written by Bobby DuffyCrime, terrorism and teen pregnancies: is it all doom and gloom? Only in our minds, written by Bobby DuffyRelated Content:Who Elected Donald Trump?, Free Thoughts PodcastHow the Media Really Works, Free Thoughts PodcastSocial Media’s Moral Panic, Free Thoughts Podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yuval Levin argues that we do not need to tear down our current institutions and restart from nothing, but it is definitely a time to re-commit to make our institutions trustworthy once again. And by institutions he means from the military to church groups and everything in between. He argues that we can then use these trustworthy institutions to provide the form and structure we need to really be free.What counts as a institution? Is there a decline in the public trust of institutions? Are institutions failing across the board? When is distrusting an institution a good thing? Should we work to make institutions more trustworthy?Further Reading:A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream, written by Yuval LevinHow did Americans lose faith in everything?, written by Yuval LevinBeyond the Welfare State, written by Yuval LevinRelated Content:Stuck in Political Nostalgia, Free Thoughts PodcastThe Collapse of the Local Co

There are many contentious areas in science because groups are looking for universal truths that validate their preconceived beliefs. Peter Van Doren comes back to the show today to talk about the role of science in the policy world. We look to scientists to conduct research that may better inform our policy decisions, but at the same time we have to make sure the science is trustworthy.How should we use scientific evidence to make decisions? What kind of environmental regulation should there be? How much politics go in to scientific evidence? What is the role of science in policymaking?Further Reading:Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the California Waiver, written by Peter Van DorenEPA’s scientific advisers warn its regulatory rollbacks clash with established science, written by Juliet EilperinTrump proposes change to environmental rules to speed up highway projects, pipelines and more, written by Juliet EilperinAnti-vaxxers surge past rate allowed by herd immunity: Gallup, written by Tiana LoweHistory of the Cl

Scientific research is the time-honored key to objective knowledge. In the past it was funded pluralistically, but today certain portions of the market for knowledge are dominated by a single buyer, namely the government. This is especially true in the research fields that impinge on the regulatory sphere, such as pollution and climate change.What’s wrong with science today? What sciences can you trust? How are scientists incentivized? Are scientists just obsessed with getting published? How is science publicly funded?Further Reading:Scientocracy, written by Patrick J. Michaels and Terence KealeyMore Breakfast Science to Sink Your Teeth Into, written by Terence KealeyMore Proof That Breakfast Is a Dangerous Meal, written by Terence KealeyRelated Content:Science Doesn’t Need Public Funding, Free Thoughts PodcastBias in Scientific Research, Free Thoughts PodcastThe Moral Arc of Science and Reason, Free Thoughts Podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The political left seems to think that wealth inequality undermines democracy. There are many reasons why this fear is incorrect. The political views of the wealthy are not homogeneous, and on many issues, they track the views of the rest of the population. Many political leaders consider wealth inequality to be a major economic and social problem. Ryan Bourne and Chris Edwards join the show to talk about their new study that tackles this issue from multiple fronts.How do we measure inequality? Has wealth inequality gotten drastically worse in the last decade? What is a wealth tax? What is cronyism?Further Reading:Exploring Wealth Inequality, written by Chris Edwards and Ryan BourneA Wealth Tax Is a Tax on Business, written by Chris EdwardsTop Wealth Is Business Assets, written by Chris EdwardsThe Forbes 400: The Definitive Ranking Of The Wealthiest Americans, edited by Luisa Kroll & Kerry A. DolanDownsizing the Federal GovernmentSurvey of Consumer FinancesRelated Content:Wealth Tax Advocates Muddle Stock

Jacob Sullum goes beyond the debate on legalization or the proper way to win the “war on drugs,” to the heart of a social and individual defense of using drugs. He believes that the conventional understanding of addiction, portrayed as a kind of chemical slavery in which the user’s values and wishes do not matter, is also fundamentally misleading.How does someone defend heroin use? Is alcohol more addictive than opioids? What are the expectations that surround marijuana use? What can and can’t make drug use dangerous? Does marijuana actually make people violent? What is the benefit of legalizing some illegal drugs?Further Reading:Saying Yes: In Defense of Drug Use, written by Jacob SullumTell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence, written by Alex BerensonFor Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health, written by Jacob SullumRelated Content:Is the DEA Trippin’? (with Rick Doblin), Free Thoughts PodcastChasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of

Christopher Preble and John Glaser talk about how Donald Trump’s rise in the Republican primaries and eventually to the presidency represented an astonishing break with the foreign policy consensus that had prevailed from Harry Truman to Barack Obama. And they detail this more extensively in their book, Fuel to the Fire: How Trump Made America’s Broken Foreign Policy Even Worse, which is a comprehensive explanation of how Trump’s “America First” mentality was more a campaign slogan than a coherent vision of American grand strategy and foreign policy.How did Donald Trump change the messaging on foreign policy? Does the public support an adventurous foreign policy? What does the military think of Trump’s rhetoric? Does President Trump have a foreign policy doctrine? Is Trump obsessed with status and prestige? How is Donald Trump erratic?Further Reading:Fuel to the Fire: How Trump Made America’s Broken Foreign Policy Even Worse (and How We Can Recover), written by Christopher A. Preble, John Glaser, and A. Trevo

The Color of Law, written by Richard Rothstein, has been described as the “powerful and disturbing history” of how American governments deliberately imposed racial segregation on metropolitan areas nationwide. He helps us understand twentieth-century urban history. A history that provides insight as to why our cities are still facing residential issues today.When the government created segregated housing systems, did they think it would persist much through the 20th century? What obstacles did blacks face in the Jim Crow era when they were buying a house?Related Content:The Color of Law, written by Richard RothsteinThe Road Not Taken, written by Stephen Menendian and Richard RothsteinFrom Ferguson to Baltimore, written by Richard RothsteinFurther Reading:Black History and Liberty, written by Jonathan BlanksLooking Back to Look Forward: Blacks, Liberty, and the State, written by Jonathan BlanksWhy Aren’t There More Black Libertarians?, Free Thoughts Podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out informa

Patrick G. Eddington’s tenure at the CIA spanned the transition from the Cold War to the new era of American interventionism in the Persian Gulf and the Balkans. In his book, Long Strange Journey: An Intelligence Memoir, he tackles a whole slew of questions; Why was President George H.W. Bush so surprised that Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait? Did America’s intelligence community fail to warn him of the threat, or did he ignore their predictions of an invasion? Why did the CIA and the Pentagon deny so vehemently for so long that sick Desert Storm veterans were exposed to Iraq’s chemical agents?Should we be weary of surveillance technology that our foreign intelligence uses overseas? What if that technology was used domestically? What is it like to work with America’s intelligence community? What was Gulf War syndrome? How do you become a whistleblower?Further Reading:Long Strange Journey: An Intelligence Memoir, written by Patrick EddingtonThe Uncounted Enemy: A Vietnam DeceptionCrisis of Conscience: Whistleblow

Bryan Caplan and Zach Weinersmith join the show today to talk about their non-ficton graphic novel; Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration.American policy-makers have long been locked in a heated battle over whether, how many, and what kind of immigrants to allow to live and work in the country. Those in favor of welcoming more immigrants often cite humanitarian reasons, while those in favor of more restrictive laws argue the need to protect native citizens.Why is immigration a horrible injustice that no one seems to be talking about? Why do we frame immigration as charity? How do you change people’s minds on immigration?Further Reading:Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration, written by Bryan CaplanThe Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money, written by Bryan CaplanThe Myth of the Rational Voter, written by Bryan CaplanLook to Milton: Open borders and the welfare state, written by Robert RectorRelated Content:You Are Now Free to Move About the Pl

Catherine Wilson teaches us that there is more to Epicureanism than eating, drinking, and being merry. Epicureanism is not an excuse for having a good time, it stresses the importance of living a good life. Epicureans maintain a philosophy that promotes reason, respect for the natural world, and respect for fellow human beings.What is Epicureanism? Who was Epicurus? How did Epicureans become utilitarians? Is Epicureanism just utilitarianism? Was Epicurus an atheist? What is the scope of Epicurean influence?Further Reading:How to be Epicurean, by Catherine WilsonUsing Epicurean Philosophy for Finding Happiness, written by Jodi ClarkeEpicureanism at the Origins of Modernity, written by Catherine WilsonRelated Content:Buddhist Ethics Does Not Advocate State Action, written by Aaron Ross PowellStoicism, Encyclopedia of LibertarianismEpicureanism, Encyclopedia of Libertarianism See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

 The cigarette is the most lethal consumer product in history, but how has smoking changed in the last 30 years? Smoking is banned from many restaurants, bars, parks, and places of work. The moral panic has ensued around smoking and the fear is only increasing. But, what if there is a better way for smokers to have what they want without burdening them with regulations?Why did the cigarette take over the tobacco world? Should there be places that people should go to enjoy smoking tobacco together? How did second hand smoke become a property rights issue? Why is smoking so stigmatized? What is thirdhand smoke? Does anyone want a safer cigarette?Further Reading:The Rediscovery of Tobacco: Smoking, Vaping, and the Creative Destruction of the Cigarette, written by Jacob GrierKing James I, A Counterblaste to Tobacco, 1604Christopher Hitchens on Audio, Cato At LibertyChristopher Hitchens May Be Dying Of Cancer, But He Has No Regrets About Smoking And Boozing, written by Joe PompeoBarbara Ehrenreich Doesn’t Have Tim

According to Deirdre McCloskey the greatest challenges that humankind faces are tyranny and poverty. McCloskey is a firm believer that if we were to return to true liberal values it would be good for everyone. For examples of true liberal values she refers to philosophers Locke, Smith, Voltaire, and Wollstonecraft.What is the connection between liberalism and democracy? How is liberalism non-coercive? What fights should libertarians prioritize? How can you be principled advocate for the poor? Who influenced Deirdre McCloskey?Further Reading:Why Liberalism Works: How True Liberal Values Produce a Freer, More Equal, Prosperous World for All, written by Deirdre McCloskeyThe magic washing machine, Hans Rossling TED TalkBourgeois Dignity: A Revolution in Rhetoric, written by Deirdre McCloskeyRelated Content:The Bourgeois Era, Free Thoughts PodcastLiberalism 1.0, Free Thoughts PodcastA Review of Bourgeois Equality: How Ideas, Not Capital or Institutions, Enriched the World by Deirdre McCloskey, written by David S.

Clay Routledge joined the show today to talk about how our society has become increasingly individualistic, and how we are still learning the consequences of that. It is human nature to look for some sort of meaning in life. We are social animals, but that isn’t what makes us particularly unique. What makes us unique is that we maintain cultures and practices that make us seem, at least in part, larger than ourselves.Why do we search for meaning in our lives? How do we know if our life actually means something? Do people feel lonelier than the used to? Why is Western society becoming more secular?Further Reading:Human ProgressSupernatural: Death, Meaning, and the Power of the Invisible World, written by Clay RoutledgeWhy do we feel nostalgia?, Ted-Ed Talk by Clay RoutledgeRelated Content:The Collapse of the Local Community (with Tim Carney), Free Thoughts PodcastDo Socialists Mean Well?, written by Grant BabcockNo Man Is an Island (Not Even Libertarians), written by Aaron Ross Powell See acast.com/privacy for

David Starkey explains the origins of UK Parliament so that we can understand how it differs from the U.S. government. He claims that Parliament is not too dissimilar from Congress. However, one key difference from the system in the UK and our own is the position of Prime Minister. Unlike our President, the Prime Minister is not subject to a general election for that specific position. Towards the end of the episode they also discuss what is going on with Brexit.What is English common law? Is English government known for being too nice? What impact did the Magna Carta have on the structure of the English government? Why doesn’t the separation of powers in government work?Further Reading:David Starkey explains simple but infuriating reason behind Brexit impasse, written by Martina BetDr. David Starkey - Uncut: Assaults on Brexit, British Identity & History, So What You’re Saying Is ShowSix Wives of Henry VIII, BBC DocumentaryDavid Starkey’s Magna CartaRelated Content:Magna Carta Influence in the U.S. Const

After the economic disaster of the Great Leap Forward that claimed tens of millions of lives from 1958–1962, an aging Mao Zedong launched an ambitious scheme to shore up his reputation and eliminate those he viewed as a threat to his legacy. He called this The Cultural Revolution. Trevor and Aaron ask Frank Dikötter about Mao’s legacy and how he came to power, which leads to a larger discussion about the nature of dictatorships.Where did Mao come from? What is the history of the Communist Party of China? What happened in China during the Great Leap Forward? Why does communism lead to millions of deaths? Why do dictators hate ideology? How unfree is daily life in China?Further Reading:How to Be a Dictator: The Cult of Personality in the Twentieth Century, written by Frank DikötterMao’s Little Red BookThe Cultural Revolution: A People’s History, 1962―1976, written by Frank Dikötter‘The Cultural Revolution: A People’s History, 1962-1976,’ by Frank Dikotter, book review in the New York TimesRelated Content:China:

Helena Rosenblatt and Daniel Klein debate the origins of liberalism. Rosenblatt believes that Klein misuses Adam Smith. However, there is no way to know how Adam Smith would have acted in today’s political climate.What is liberalism? What is the political meaning of liberalism? How old is the idea of liberty? Was Edmund Burke thought of himself as a conservative? Is it a mistake to think that libertarians are part of the liberal tradition? At what point for example, does John Locke become called a liberal?Further Reading:The Lost History of Liberalism, written by Helena RosenblattLiberty Between the Lines in a Statist and Modernist Age, written by Daniel KleinThe Wealth of Nations, Adam SmithRelated Content:Was Adam Smith a Libertarian?, written by Paul MuellerSelf-Interest and Social Order in Classical Liberalism: Thomas Hobbes, written by George H. SmithThe Levelers: Libertarian Revolutionaries, written by Nicholas Elliott See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.