The Curious Task

In this episode from 2021, Alex Aragona speaks with Dennis Rasmussen about his findings on how the American Founding Fathers truly felt about the experiment they designed and built as time went on. References Dennis Rasmussen previously joined The Curious Task to speak about his book The Infidel and the Professor, and you can listen to that episode here. The book discussed on this episode of The Curious Task is Fears of the Setting Sun by Dennis Rasmussen, which can be purchased from Amazon here. The rising sun armchair can be seen digitally here. More information on the Federalists can be found here, and the Anti-Federalists here. The soundtrack to Hamilton can be listened to here. Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Alex Eames speaks with Moshe Lander about whether Canada’s billion-dollar FIFA bill is a smart investment, or if politicans and taxpayers are being sold a bill of goods. Moshe argues that while the World Cup will absolutely be fun and meaningful for fans, the public was sold a dollars-and-cents case that does not really hold up once you factor in temporary jobs, displaced spending, security costs, and FIFA’s ability to push expenses onto host cities. References Parliamentary Budget Officer, Federal financial support for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup https://www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/publications/NT-2627-007-S--federal-financial-support-2026-fifa-men-world-cup--aide-financiere-federale-coupe-monde-masculine-fifa-2026 Moshe Lander, The World Cup Is an Economic Sinkhole, Maclean’s https://macleans.ca/economy/the-world-cup-is-an-economic-sinkhole/ Government of Canada, Canada welcomes the FIFA World Cup 2026 https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/soccer-2026.html Toronto FIFA World Cup 26 Match Schedule https://torontofwc26.ca/game Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Alex speaks with Darrell Bricker about whether Canada is at a breaking point, drawing from Bricker and John Ibbitson’s book Breaking Point to explore Canada’s economic stagnation, regional alienation, generational anxiety, and fragile national identity. Bricker argues that Canada’s challenges are serious but not fatal if Canadians are willing to stop kicking hard problems down the road and start building a country that younger generations can actually believe in. References: Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson, Breaking Point: The New Big Shifts Putting Canada at Risk Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson, The Big Shift George Grant, Lament for a Nation Statistics Canada — Canadian international merchandise trade data, including energy exports Canada Energy Regulator — Canada-U.S. energy trade overview Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with James Harrigan about popular culture as a source of social change and the many ways in which the export of American pop culture has shaped the world. References 1. “Brown v. Board of Education” by the National Archives Link: https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/brown-v-board-of-education  2. “Roe v. Wade” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/event/Roe-v-Wade

In this episode, Alex speaks with Matt Zwolinski about whether markets are coercive, and why the answer is more complicated than either “markets are voluntary” or “capitalism is coercion.” They discuss Robert Hale’s classic argument, the limits of standard libertarian responses, and why a better liberal defence of markets has to take real-world coercion seriously without treating all coercion as morally equal. References: Matt Zwolinski, “Are markets coercive?” Robert L. Hale, “Coercion and Distribution in a Supposedly Non-Coercive State” Thomas Nixon Carver, Principles of National Economy Sohrab Ahmari, Tyranny, Inc.: How Private Power Crushed American Liberty—and What to Do About It F. A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Matt speaks with Matt Dinan about why AI is not so much ruining liberal education as exposing it's main shortcoming: treating education as a system of credentials rather than a challenging process of reading, writing, discussing, and learning how to learn. Dinan argues that the best response is not to become an "AI cop", but to design courses that incentivize students to learn skills they will need in any scenario where AI has an impact on our society - for better or for worse. References “Permission Structures” — Matt Dinan https://mattdinan.substack.com/p/the-ai-skeptical-professors-guide Matt Dinan’s viral “honest B or C student” post on X https://x.com/second_sailing/status/1912857896599105564 “Tyler Cowen’s AI Campus” — Marginal Revolution https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2026/01/tyler-cowens-ai-campus.htm Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Moin Yahya about debates both new and old surrounding the causes and history of inflation. References: Inflation and Paper Money: An Historical Perspective: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4076420  In Defense of the Free-Banking Stablecoins: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4056359  George Selgin's page at the Cato Institute: https://www.cato.org/people/george-selgin  Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Matt speaks with Nadine Strossen about why free speech is under pressure across the political spectrum, from left-wing campus cancel culture to right-wing government coercion and censorship pressures. Strossen argues that the answer to hateful or harmful ideas is not censorship, but a stronger culture of free expression, viewpoint neutrality, and fighting bad speech with better speech.   References Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know - Nadine Strossen: https://a.co/d/0ialIpUc Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship - Nadine Strossen: https://a.co/d/0isrx1H3 The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech and Why They Fail - Nadine Strossen and Greg Lukianoff: https://a.co/d/00P1zxhP FIRE: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression https://www.fire.org/ The Future of Free Speech: Jhttps://futurefreespeech.org/ The Communications Decency Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Decency_Act   Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Matt speaks with Casey Kennedy, co-founder of Acton Academy Calgary Central, about what makes the Acton model different from traditional schooling: guides instead of teachers, Socratic discussions instead of lectures, mastery instead of grades, and an emphasis on letting kids struggle, fail, and become passionate about the process of learning itself. Casey also explains why she and her husband started the school for their daughter, how her earlier work in Dallas and Sierra Leone shaped her view of education, and why she believes every child has a “genius” that education should help uncover. References Acton Academy Calgary Central https://www.actoncentral.org/ Acton Academy https://actonacademy.org/ The One World Schoolhouse - Salman Khan https://a.co/d/0dI4FOkK Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/ Montessori education and mixed-age classrooms https://montessori-ami.org/trainingvoices/mixed-ages-montessori-environment Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Matt speaks with James Czerniawski about proposed bans on children using social media and AI, exploring concerns around mental health, digital literacy, free speech, privacy, and the consequences of regulation. James argues that while online harms are real, outright bans are ineffective and often counterproductive, advocating instead for parental awareness, digital literacy, and a more optimistic approach to AI. References James’ website: https://jamesczerniawski.com/ James’ author page at the Consumer Choice Center: https://consumerchoicecenter.org/author/james/ The UK Online Safety Act: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-explainer/online-safety-act-explainer Institute for Family Studies: Digital Parent Toolkit: https://ifstudies.org/blog/new-tools-to-help-parents-navigate-teens-social-media-use The Twitter Files: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter_Files COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act): https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule-coppa Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

Alex sits down with Holly Doan to discuss Accountability Journalism and the role that non-mainstream journalistic media has in the current Canadian political landscape. They discuss the decline of traditional newsrooms, subsidies for Canadian media companies and the lack of transparency that has led us to a climate where the press is struggling to keep up with the times. References Blacklock’s website: https://www.blacklocks.ca/ The Hub article on government subsidies for traditional Canadian media outlets: https://thehub.ca/2025/05/05/the-names-of-media-outlets-receiving-government-mandated-funding-released-only-days-after-election/ Carney’s CBC funding announcement: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mark-carney-cbc-funding-1.7501902 Holly on X: https://x.com/hollyanndoan Thanks to Our Patrons Thanks to our patrons, including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

In this episode from 2020, Alex Aragona speaks with Dan Griswold as he explores the benefits of open markets and free trade, and whether you can "win" a trade war. References 1. “Mad About Trade: Why Main Street America Should Embrace Globalization” by Daniel Griswold Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Mad-About-Trade-America-Globalization/dp/193530819X  2. “Section 232 Investigation on the Effect of Imports of Steel on U.S. National Security” by U.S Department of Commerce Link: https://www.commerce.gov/issues/trade-enforcement/section-232-steel  3. “China Section 301-Tariff Actions and Exclusions Process” by Office of the United States Trade Representative Link: https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/enforcement/section-301-investigations/tariff-actions  4. “Only Congress can end the China trade war quagmire” by Daniel Griswold Link: https://www.mercatus.org/economic-insights/expert-commentary/only-congress-can-end-china-trade-war-quagmire  5. “The Coronavirus Should Not Prompt Us to Rethink Globalization” by Daniel Griswold Link: https://www.discoursemagazine.com/p/the-coronavirus-should-not-prompt-us-to-rethink-globalization  6. “Daniel Griswold: Curbing globalization would compound coronavirus damage” by Daniel Griswold  Link: https://www.twincities.com/2020/03/13/daniel-griswold-curbing-globalization-would-compound-coronavirus-damage/  7. “Daniel Griswold on US Demographic Decline and the Case for Expanding Immigration” by Daniel Griswold Link: https://www.mercatus.org/macro-musings/daniel-griswold-us-demographic-decline-and-case-expanding-immigration  8. “Clashing Over Commerce: A History of US Trade Policy” by Douglas Irwin Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Clashing-over-Commerce-History-Policy/dp/022639896X  9. “Death by China: Confronting the Dragon - A Global Call to Action” by Peter Navarro and Greg Autry Link: https://www.amazon.com/Death-China-Confronting-Dragon-paperback/dp/0134319036 10. “United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement” by Office of the United States Trade Representative Link: https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexico-canada-agreement

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Thomas Bunting about politics, democracy, social progress and more as they relate to baseball and athletics more broadly.

In this episode from 2024, Alex speaks with Bryce Tingle about corporations, how these unique legal entities are governed, how changes we have made to corporate governance has discouraged companies from joining Canada’s public markets, and how the decline in our public market is hurting Canadians. 

 Episode Notes: 1. Bryce’s article “Returning Markets To The Centre Of Corporate Law” https://jcl.law.uiowa.edu/sites/jcl.law.uiowa.edu/files/2023-09/Tingle_Final.pdf  2. Bryce’s profile at UofCalgary https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/bryce-tingle  3. Jensen and Meckley’s “The Theory Of The Firm” https://www.sfu.ca/~wainwrig/Econ400/jensen-meckling.pdf  4. Introduction to Douglass North’s theory of Institutions: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40803-016-0028-8  5. Summary of Montesquieu’s “Doux Commerce” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doux_commerce  6. Mill on Trade As a Social Act: https://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/five.html  7. The Voltaire quote referenced regarding the London Stock Exchange: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7351337-go-into-the-london-stock-exchange-a-more-respectable 

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Nigel Ashford about the prospects for a freer world and how the memory of history, the hope of younger persons, and the teaching of ideas can shape the future of classical liberalism.    Further Reading: https://libertarianism.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/socin003.pdf Chapter 2 of this book: https://iea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Blundell-interactive.pdf https://fee.org/articles/the-tide-in-the-affairs-of-men/ https://cdn.mises.org/Intellectuals%20and%20Socialism_4.pdf https://www.libertarianism.org/publications/essays/why-do-intellectuals-oppose-capitalism http://wordlist.narod.ru/Government-Failure.pdf

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Stefanie Haeffele about her book Living Better Together, which explores the work of Elinor Ostrom and Viviana Zelizer.  Episode Notes: "Living Better Together" by Stefanie Haeffele and Virgil Henry Storr: https://a.co/d/hJNCxw6  Viviana Zelizer's homepage at Princeton: https://sociology.princeton.edu/people/viviana-zelizer  Elinor Ostrom's bio and short autobiography on the Nobel website: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/2009/ostrom/facts/  Nonneutrality of Money in a Social Perspective by Julia Włodarczyk https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274184545_Nonneutrality_of_Money_in_a_Social_Perspective  Zelizer's "Circuits of Commerce" https://doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520241367.003.0009 Ostrom's "Governing The Commons" https://a.co/d/gcUDVWq  Economic Lives: How Culture Shapes the Economy by Viviana A. Zelizer https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691139364/economic-lives  "Testing Circuits of Commerce in the Distant Past: Archaeological Understandings of Social Relationships and Economic Lives" by: Crystal A. Dozier https://www.springerprofessional.de/testing-circuits-of-commerce-in-the-distant-past-archaeological-/23930708   

In part two of this episode from 2022, Alex speaks again with philosopher Eric Mack about "Anarchy, State and Utopia", this time touching on some of the challenges to Nozick's theory and Eric's own personal connection to Robert Nozick during his life. References 1. Part 1 of Eric Mack’s The Curious Task Episode on “Why Read Anarchy, State, and Utopia?” Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-145-eric-mack-why-read-anarchy-state-and-utopia/  2. Eric Mack’s Previous Episode “Why Not Socialism?” on the Curious Task Podcast Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-7-eric-mack-%e2%80%94-why-not-socialism/ 3. “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” by Robert Nozick Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Anarchy-State-Utopia-Robert-Nozick/dp/0465051006  4. “Who Would Choose Socialism” by Robert Nozick Link: https://reason.com/1978/05/01/who-would-chose-socialism/

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Philosopher Eric Mack about Robert Nozick's "Anarchy State and Utopia" and how the book shaped the conversation around natural rights theory, philosophical libertarianism, and the study of political utopias for decades to come. References 1. Eric Mack’s Previous Episode “Why Not Socialism?” on the Curious Task Podcast Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-7-eric-mack-%e2%80%94-why-not-socialism/  2. “Anarchy, State, and Utopia” by Robert Nozick Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Anarchy-State-Utopia-Robert-Nozick/dp/0465051006  3. “Robert Nozick” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Nozick  4. “Murray Rothbard” by Mises Institute Link: https://mises.org/profile/murray-n-rothbard  5. “A Theory of Justice” by John Rawls Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Theory-Justice-Revised-John-Rawls/dp/0674000781

In this conversation from 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/ 

In this conversation from 2025, Alex Aragona speaks with Graeme Thompson about Canada's evolving role on the global stage, from Confederation through to the post-Cold War era and into the geopolitical uncertainties of today. They explore Canada’s historical balancing act between major powers, its close alignment with the United Kingdom and later the United States, and its present-day challenges in maintaining global relevance amid military underinvestment and economic stagnation. Thompson argues that Canada must become more serious about geopolitics if it wants to protect its sovereignty and remain influential internationally. References “Canadians no longer take geopolitics seriously – and our neglect is going to cost us” by Graeme Thompson (The Hub) https://thehub.ca/2024-04-03/graeme-thompson-canadians-no-longer-take-geopolitics-seriously-and-our-neglect-is-going-to-cost-us/ Biography Collection: Ogdensburg Agreement and Canadian Wartime Diplomacy (Dictionary of Canadian Biography) https://www.biographi.ca/en/topics/topic-match-list.php?id=1504 Statute of Westminster (1931) – Recognized Canada’s legislative independence from Britain https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/statute-of-westminster NATO Archives: Canada's Role and Early Involvement https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/declassified_161511.htm Canada–U.S. Automotive Products Agreement (Auto Pact) https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canada-us-automotive-products-agreement Lament for a Nation by George Grant https://a.co/d/bnRI7Rb Canada’s Military Expenditure and NATO’s 2% Spending Target (Parliamentary Budget Officer) https://www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/publications/RP-2223-010-S--canada-military-expenditure-nato-2-spending-target--depenses-militaires-canada-objectif-depenses-2-otan Thanks to Our Patrons Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support the podcast, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Abigail Hall about propaganda - an elusive and at times far-reaching concept that can be found everywhere: from overt wartime speeches by presidents to covert uses of sports and film to promote the ends of state militarism. References 1. “Manufacturing Militarism: U.S. Government Propaganda in the War on Terror” by Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Manufacturing-Militarism-Government-Propaganda-Terror/dp/1503628361  2. “Tyranny Comes Home: The Domestic Fate of U.S. Militarism” by Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Tyranny-Comes-Home-Domestic-Militarism/dp/1503605272  3. Abigail Hall’s Previous Episode on The Curious Task Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-13-abigail-hall-%e2%80%94-how-does-foreign-policy-create-a-boomerang-effect-at-home/  4. “Keep Calm and Carry On” Poster Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On  5. “Uncle Sam” Poster Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam  6. “Smith-Mundt Act” by US Agency for Global Media Link: https://www.usagm.gov/who-we-are/oversight/legislation/smith-mundt/ 7. “Dick Cheney” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dick-Cheney  8. “Biographies of Secretaries of State: Colin Powell (1937-2021)” by Office of the Historian Link: https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/powell-colin-luther  9. “Biographies of Secretaries of State: Condoleezza Rice (1954-)” by Office of the Historian Link: https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/rice-condoleezza 10. “Pat Tillman” by Britannica Link: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pat-Tillman 11. “The Life and Death of Phil Strub” by Spy Culture Link: https://www.spyculture.com/the-life-and-death-of-phil-strub/ 12. “Windtalkers” by IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245562/ 13. “Top Gun” by IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/ 14. "Transformers" by IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418279/ 

In this episode from 2024, Alex speaks with Chris Coyne about the complexities and ramifications of war, focusing on the interplay between media narratives, propaganda, and the impact on civil liberties, drawing insights from Coyne's book co-authored with Abigail Hall, which is a satirical guide on war strategies and their broader societal implications. Episode Notes: Chris and Abigail's book "How to Run Wars": https://www.independent.org/store/book.asp?id=145    1. Bruce Winton Knight's "How To Run A War": https://www.amazon.com/How-Run-War-Bruce-Knight/dp/B000OMR1KG    2. Herman and Chomsky's "Manufacturing Consent": https://www.amazon.ca/Manufacturing-Consent-Political-Economy-Media/dp/0375714499  3. Noam Chomsky's website: https://chomsky.info/  4. Alexis de Tocqueville's biography, including reference to his distinction between hard and soft despotism: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexis-de-Tocqueville    5. Otto Neurath's "Through War Economy to Economy in Kind" https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-010-2525-6_5  6. Abigail Hall and Christopher Coyne "Manufacturing Militarism: U.S. Government Propaganda in the War on Terror": https://www.amazon.ca/Manufacturing-Militarism-Government-Propaganda-Terror/dp/1503628361   

In this conversation from 2024, Alex speaks with Kevin Erdmann about how zoning, the 2008 economic crisis, and the desire to live away from "those people" is effecting the state of housing.  Episode Notes: Kevin's page at the Mercatus Centre: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/kevin-erdmann The Erdmann Housing Tracker: https://kevinerdmann.substack.com/  Kevin on X: https://x.com/KAErdmann?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor  Kevin's book "Shut Out: How a Housing Shortage Caused the Great Recession and Crippled our Economy" on Amazon Canada:  https://a.co/d/gIh82Og 

In this conversation from 2020, Alex Aragona speaks with Mustafa Akyol as he explores whether Islam can be compatible with liberalism, and his recent research on freedom in Muslim-majority countries. References from Episode 70 with Mustafa Akyol Mustafa Akyol is the author of Rethinking the Kurdish Question: What Went Wrong, What Next? (Turkish), Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case For Liberty, The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims, and his book set for release in April 2021, Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance (all available titles hyperlinked to Amazon Canada store pages). You can read Mustafa’s articles featured on his profile on the CATO Institute’s website at this link. The concluding segment of this podcast was dedicated to discussing Mustafa’s findings in his study, Freedom in the Muslim World, which was published on the Cato Institute’s website and is available for reading here. Mustafa quotes the observation that Islam had compatible socio-legal setups for embracing liberal society early on had it abided by its foundational teachings from Professor David Forte’s article, Islam’s Trajectory. This article can be read on the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s website at this link. One of the themes in his upcoming book, Reopening Muslim Minds, Mustafa cites Ash’arism as one of the theological paradigms predating modernity which gave rise to the insularity in Islamic philosophy towards thoughts not originating from revelation. The journal Studia Islamica has an article recounting the religious history of Ash’arism and can be accessed at this link through an active JSTOR account. Mustafa briefly mentions the Euthyphro Dilemma (Wikipedia), Divine Command Theory (Michael W. Austin, Eastern Kentucky University), and Ethical Objectivism (Oxford Reference) whilst discussing the different camps in Islamic thought. More can be read about these topics through their respective hyperlinks. You can read more about philosopher John Locke’s premises on toleration of religion and heresy here (A Letter Concerning Toleration courtesy of McMaster University), as well as his view on the separation of church and state at this link (Liberty Fund). While literature on Islamic liberalism is vast, a good place to start is this article titled What Is Liberal Islam?: The Sources of Enlightend Muslim Thought featured in the Journal of Democracy at this link. This article on Deutsche Welle summarizes the domestic and international tensions stemming from the cartoons of religious caricatures that were published in France. Mustafa quotes Daniel Philpott’s book, Religious Freedom in Islam: The Fate of a Universal Human Right in the Muslim World (available on Amazon Canada), about how Islam “had seeds of freedom, but those seeds need to be cultivated.” You can read the excerpt where the French jurist, Jean Bodin, commended the religious freedom of the Ottoman empire compared to the denominational violence amongst Christians in Europe in Daniel Goffman’s book, The Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe here. Here are Wikipedia articles to the controversy of Islamic scarfs in France, policing over the burkini, and Saudi Arabia’s legislation on public head coverings for women.

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Neil Boyd about the effects of drug decriminalization and legalization in Canada and around the world, and how regulation and criminalization can have positive or negative impacts on users of various substances and the communities around them. References 1. “Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, 1996” by the Justice Laws Website Link: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8/  2. “Cannabis Act, 2018” by Justice Laws Website  Link: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-24.5/

In this conversation from 2022, Alex speaks with Jason Lee Byas about the complexities of responding to questions of historic injustice, reparations, and compensation within a libertarian framework.  References 1. Articles by Jason Lee Byas, Center for a Stateless Society  Link: https://c4ss.org/content/author/jason-byas  2. “Rectification and Historic Injustice” by Jason Lee Byas Link: https://philpapers.org/archive/BYARAH.pdf  3. “A Black Commons: A Framework for Recognition, Reconciliation, and Reparations” by Julian Agyeman and Kofi Boone  Link: https://www.academia.edu/113180745/The_Black_CommonsA_Framework_for_Recognition_Reconciliation_Reparations  4. “Compensation for Historic Injustices: Completing the Boxill and Sher Argument” by Andrew I. Cohen Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/40212837.pdf  5. “Should Race Matter?: Unusual Answers to the Usual Questions” by David Boonin Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Should-Race-Matter-Unusual-Questions/dp/0521149800  6. “The Ethics of Liberty” by Murray N. Rothbard Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Ethics-Liberty-Murray-N-Rothbard/dp/0814775594  7. “Historical Rights and Fair Shares” by A. John Simmons Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3505011  8. “The Multiculturalism of Fear” by Jacob Levy Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Multiculturalism-Fear-Jacob-T-Levy/dp/0198297122  9. “Apologies and Moral Repair: Rights, Duties, and Corrective Justice” by Andrew I. Cohen Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Apologies-Moral-Repair-Corrective-Justice/dp/0367508036

In this coversation from 2023, Matt speaks with Seth Kaplan about his book Fragile Neighborhoods, and why a decision as simple as where we choose to live can often make the difference between lives of prosperity and lives of uncertainty and strife.  Seth's book can be ordered here: https://a.co/d/aqUzRny 

In this conversation from 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   

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Aaron Powell about the origins of fusionism, where it stands today, and why non-traditional alliances might be the way of the future.  References 1. Free Thoughts Podcast  Link: https://www.libertarianism.org/podcasts/free-thoughts  2. ReImagining Liberty Podcast Link: https://www.reimaginingliberty.com/podcast/  3. “After protests, Disney CEO speaks out against ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill” by Elizabeth Blair Link: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/08/1085130633/disney-response-florida-bill-dont-say-gay  4. “An Introduction to Marxism for Non-Marxists” ReImagined Podcast Episode  Link: https://www.reimaginingliberty.com/an-introduction-to-marxism-for-non-marxists-w-ian-bennett/

In this conversation from 2023, Alex and Mike Munger discuss two strains of thought within the liberty movement - one concerned with philosophical purity and cohesion, the other with advancement towards a common ideal of greater freedom for all.  Episode Notes: Mike's article "The Right Kind of Nothing": https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-right-kind-of-nothing/ An introduction to Coasian bargaining: http://www.ejolt.org/2015/09/coasian-bargaining-2/  The Piece commissioned by Leonard Read by Milton Friedman and George Stigler on Rent Control: https://fee.org/resources/roofs-or-ceilings-the-current-housing-problem/  Mike Munger's piece "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things" https://www.aier.org/article/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-directionalists-vs-destinationists/  James Buchanan on Relatively Absolute Absolutes https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11127-021-00883-0 

In this conversation from 2023, Alex speaks with Pete Boettke about the relevancy of Friedrich Hayek in the contemporary context, what it means to be a "Hayekian" and the curious tale of how Hayek came to be the focus of his latest book "F. A. Hayek: Economics, Political Economy and Social Philosophy" Episode Notes Pete’s book “F. A. Hayek: Economics, Political Economy and Social Philosophy“ https://a.co/d/ah7SpwW  Hayek on The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/friedrich-hayek/  Introduction to Hayek’s “Road to Serfdom” https://mises.org/library/road-serfdom-0  Murray Rothbard’s “Man, Economy and State” retrospective https://fee.org/articles/rothbards-man-economy-and-state-at-50/  Milton Friedman’s “Free To Choose” https://www.proglocode.unam.mx/sites/proglocode.unam.mx/files/docencia/Milton%20y%20Rose%20Friedman%20-%20Free%20to%20Choose.pdf  Hayek “Prices and Production” https://mises.org/library/prices-and-production-and-other-works  Introduction to economics of Lucas https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Lucas.html  Steve Horowitz on Hayek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5dR0zgC1ZI  Herbert Dreyfuss “What Computers Can’t Do” https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262540674/what-computers-still-cant-do/  Horowitz quote on Hayek “we have to learn to live in two worlds at once” https://www.jstor.org/stable/41560288  Hayek’s “The Fatal Conceit” https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo3643985.html  Kenneth Boulding “After Samuelson, Who Needs Adam Smith?” https://read.dukeupress.edu/hope/article-abstract/3/2/225/12381/After-Samuelson-Who-Needs-Adam-Smith “The Extended Present” (concept) https://medium.com/extended-present/about  The “Grapes vs. Cucumbers as pay for Monkeys” experiment (youtube video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meiU6TxysCg  The Constitution of Liberty - Hayek https://www.mises.at/static/literatur/Buch/hayek-the-constitution-of-liberty.pdf  Chandran Kukathas’ Liberal Archipelago https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-liberal-archipelago-9780199219209?cc=ca&lang=en&  Kind vs. Wicked learning environments. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/experience-studio/202007/experience-kind-vs-wicked   

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Kevin Vallier about his new book "All The Kingdoms Of The World", in which he takes a global view of anti-liberal integralist strands in political thought and warns of the consequences of following them toward a rejection of liberal freedom and democracy.  Episode Notes: The conversation focuses primarily on Kevin’s book: https://www.kevinvallier.com/books/all-the-kingdoms-of-the-world-radical-religious-alternatives-liberalism/  Introduction to Catholic Political Integralism:  https://thejosias.com/  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integralism  Introduction to islamic political anti-liberalism  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamism  “The Confucian Tradition and Politics” Youngmin Kim, Ha-Kyoung Lee and Seongun Park https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.991

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Chandran Kukathas about the costs of limiting immigration and what effects there may be on policy if the question of who counts as an immigrant is itself unclear. References 1. “Immigration and Freedom” by Chandran Kukathas Link: https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Freedom-Chandran-Kukathas/dp/0691189684  

In this conversation from 2020, Alex Aragona chats with Pete Boettke as he dives into what the curious task of economics is and relates it back to the work of Friedrich Hayek. References from Episode 40 with Pete Boettke You can purchase Pete Boettke’s book on F.A. Hayek on Amazon Canada here Check out Pete Boettke’s economics blog here

In this conversation from 2023, Alex speaks with Professor Jacob Levy about the concept of neutrality within the history of liberalism and how many historical thinkers have approached the subject within that tradition.  Episode Notes: Michael Oakeshott on “adverbial rules” https://lawliberty.org/forum/michael-oakeshott-on-the-rule-of-law-and-the-liberal-order/  John Locke’s religious beliefs https://rb.gy/1yg43  Heresy of Americanism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americanism_(heresy)  Deirdre McCloskey’s Bourgeois Virtues Thesis https://www.deirdremccloskey.com/docs/bv_selection.pdf  Ronald Dworkin “Liberalism” https://www.scribd.com/document/313373358/Ronald-Dworkin-Liberalism#  Stephanie Slade, "Must Libertarians Care About More Than the State?" https://reason.com/2022/03/19/two-libertarianisms/  Alexis De Toqueville’s concerns about the rising liberal democratic order https://www.economist.com/schools-brief/2018/08/09/de-tocqueville-and-the-french-exception  John Stuart Mill “On Liberty” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Liberty 

In this conversation from 2024, Alex speaks with Marc-William Palen about the evolution of left-wing visions of free trade from the mid-19th century through the Cold War, highlighting key movements and figures like the Anti-Corn Law League, Karl Marx, and the Fair Trade movement, and contrasting these with protectionist and imperialist policies of the era. Episode Notes: Marc-William's book "Pax Economica: Left-Wing Visions of a Free Trade World": https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691199320/pax-economica  Marx on Free Trade: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1888/free-trade/#:~:text=Only%20under%20Free%20Trade%20can,%2C%20wage%2Dlaborers%20there%3B%20hereditary  The Eric Schliesser episode of the Curious Task mentioned by Alex: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/special-episode-5-eric-schliesser-%e2%80%94-what-is-neoliberalism/  Journal of Liberal History's summary of the history of the Anti-Corn Law League: https://liberalhistory.org.uk/history/anti-corn-law-league/  Overview of the history of the Opium Wars: https://asiapacificcurriculum.ca/learning-module/opium-wars-china#:~:text=The%20Opium%20Wars%20in%20the,China%20lost%20both%20wars.  A primer on the origins of Fair Trade and the Haslemere Declaration:  https://imperialglobalexeter.com/2018/05/03/what-fair-trade-was-originally-about-the-haslemere-declaration-of-1968/ 

In this conversation from 2022, Alex speaks with Russ Roberts about the nature of education and how we should rethink it in today's world. This is a special episode being released in conjunction with this week's episode of Econtalk.  References 1. The Center for Experiential Learning at Washington University Link: https://olin.wustl.edu/student-resources/center-for-experiential-learning.php#:~:text=The%20Center%20for%20Experiential%20Learning,Driven%E2%84%A2%20practice%20and%20application.  2. EconTalk Podcast Link: https://simplecast.econtalk.org/  3. “How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness” by Russ Roberts Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Adam-Smith-Change-Your-Life/dp/1591847958

In this episode from 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 

In this conversation from 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/ 

In this conversation from 2020, Alex Aragona speaks with Christopher Freiman as he explores why you might be happier, and ultimately contribute more to society, if you choose to ignore politics. References from Episode 31 with Chris Freiman: You can purchase Chris Freiman’s book when it’s out  here You can check out the Bleeding Heart Libertarians blog here You can purchase Bryan Caplan’s book ‘The Myth of the Rational Voter’ on Amazon Canada here

In this episode from 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 

In this episode from 2021, Alex Aragona speaks with Graeme Thompson about the classical liberal tradition in Canada, and what the evolution of that tradition has looked like. References from The Curious Task Episode 94 with Graeme Thompson A collection of the speeches of Wilfred Laurier can be found in an edited edition by Arthur Milnes, available from Amazon here. Macdonald Laurier and the Election of 1891 by Christopher Pennington can be found from Penguin House here. Graeme Thompson’s piece “Whatever Happened to Laurier” can be found in the National Post here. Graeme mentions positive and negative liberty by Isaiah Berlin, which is discussed on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy here. The works of Adam Smith, Edmund Burke, and J.S. Mill can be read for free through the Online Library of Liberty.  

In this conversation from 2021, Alex speaks with Jacob Levy about Montesquieu's role in shaping contemporary political science, the American revolutionary project, and the role of the separation of powers as a bulwark against despotism.  References 1. “Rationalism, Pluralism, and Freedom” by Jacob Levy Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Rationalism-Pluralism-Freedom-Jacob-Levy/dp/0198808917  2. “The Multiculturalism of Fear” by Jacob Levy Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Multiculturalism-Fear-Jacob-T-Levy/dp/0198297122  3. “Montesquieu’s Constitutional Legacies” by Jacob Levy Link: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1117087  4. “Beyond Publius: Montesquieu, Liberal Republicanism, and the Small-Republic Thesis” by Jacob Levy Link: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=739447  5. “The Spirit of Laws” by Charles Baron de Montesquieu Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Spirit-Laws-Charles-Baron-Montesquieu/dp/1616405287#:~:text=The%20Spirit%20of%20Laws%2C%20first,by%20the%20Roman%20Catholic%20Church.  6. “Leviathan” by Thomas Hobbes  Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3207/3207-h/3207-h.htm  7. “Second Treatise of Government” by John Locke Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7370/7370-h/7370-h.htm

In this episode from 2021, Alex Aragona speaks with Victor M. Muniz-Fraticelli about whether the monarchy might seem absurd, and whether a little absurdity can be a good thing.  References 1. “The Monarchy and the Constitution” by Vernon Bogdanor Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Monarchy-Constitution-Vernon-Bogdanor/dp/0198293348

Today, we're revisiting this special Christmas episode of The Curious Task from 2019. ---  Alex Aragona chats with Alex Tabarrok on this very special Christmas episode of The Curious Task as he explores whether gift giving is inefficient, and if there are better ways to give to others. References from Episode 21 with Alex Tabbarok You can watch a video of Alex Tabbarok and Tyler Cowen discuss gift giving here Giving to my Wild Self article can be found here

In May 2022, Alex spoke with Deirdre McCloskey in a wide-ranging conversation that addresses the economic, philosophical, and political reasons why liberalism just works. We're reposting that important conversation today on The Curious Task.  References 1. “Why Liberalism Works: How True Liberal Values Produce a Freer, More Equal, Prosperous World for All” by Dierdre Nansen McCloskey  Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Why-Liberalism-Works-Liberal-Prosperous/dp/0300235089  2. “The Bourgeois Virtues: Ethics for an Age of Commerce” by Dierdre Nansen McCloskey Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Bourgeois-Virtues-Ethics-Age-Commerce/dp/0226556646  3. “Bourgeois Dignity: Why Economics Can’t Explain Modern World” by Dierdre Nansen McCloskey Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Bourgeois-Dignity-Economics-Explain-Modern/dp/0226556743  4. “Bourgeois Equality: How Ideas, Not Capital or Institutions, Enriched the World” Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Bourgeois-Equality-Capital-Institutions-Enriched/dp/022633399X  5. “Dierdre N. McCloskey presents the lecture ‘The Impossibility of Policy’ hosted by the Erasmus Forum” by the Cato Institute Link: https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/deirdre-n-mccloskey-presents-lecture-impossibility-policy-hosted  6. “1984” by George Orwell Link: https://www.amazon.ca/1984-George-Orwell/dp/0451524934  7. “Forever Flowing” by Vasily Grossman Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/88459.Forever_Flowing

Alex speaks with Jason Lee Byas about the complexities of responding to questions of historic injustice, reparations, and compensation within a libertarian framework.  Originally Aired as Episode 140 on Wednesday May 04, 2022  References 1. Articles by Jason Lee Byas, Center for a Stateless Society  Link: https://c4ss.org/content/author/jason-byas  2. “Rectification and Historic Injustice” by Jason Lee Byas Link: https://philpapers.org/archive/BYARAH.pdf  3. “A Black Commons: A Framework for Recognition, Reconciliation, and Reparations” by Julian Agyeman and Kofi Boone  Link: https://www.academia.edu/113180745/The_Black_CommonsA_Framework_for_Recognition_Reconciliation_Reparations  4. “Compensation for Historic Injustices: Completing the Boxill and Sher Argument” by Andrew I. Cohen Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/40212837.pdf  5. “Should Race Matter?: Unusual Answers to the Usual Questions” by David Boonin Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Should-Race-Matter-Unusual-Questions/dp/0521149800  6. “The Ethics of Liberty” by Murray N. Rothbard Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Ethics-Liberty-Murray-N-Rothbard/dp/0814775594  7. “Historical Rights and Fair Shares” by A. John Simmons Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3505011  8. “The Multiculturalism of Fear” by Jacob Levy Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Multiculturalism-Fear-Jacob-T-Levy/dp/0198297122  9. “Apologies and Moral Repair: Rights, Duties, and Corrective Justice” by Andrew I. Cohen Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Apologies-Moral-Repair-Corrective-Justice/dp/0367508036

As you think about your New Year's resolutions, take another listen to Alex's conversation from May 2020 with Russ Roberts as he talks about the ways in which the ideas of Adam Smith can still change your life, even so many years later.   References from The Curious Task Special Episode 14 with Russ Roberts  You can purchase Russ Roberts’ book How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life at Amazon Canada here You can read the Theory of Moral Sentiments for free on the Online Library of Liberty here

Alex Aragona speaks with Peter Jaworski as he explores his definition of libertarianism, and how different kinds of morality can lead to certain conclusions about libertarian institutions. References Peter Jaworski is the co-author of the book, Markets without Limits: Moral Virtues and Commercial Interests, which is available for purchase on Amazon Canada at this link. Peter mentions B. van der Vossen’s article on self-ownership published on Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, which can be read here. The general article on libertarianism starts at this link. You can read more about Jonathan Haidt’s moral foundations theory on the website, moralfoundations.org. Peter mentions the three-way division between people cited in Jason Brennan’s book, Against Democracy, which is also available on Amazon Canada at this link.  This article on libertarianism.org captures David Hume’s is-ought dichotomy that was briefly mentioned by Peter during the podcast.  The Acton Institute publishes many articles that demonstrate how their theological views endorse libertarian institutions on their website, acton.org. You can read John Stuart Mill’s libertarian conclusions in On Liberty at this link. Peter mentions Chris Freiman during the episode, who has published blogposts on learnliberty.org.    You can read more about the natural rights argument of Thomas Jefferson’s famous quote, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in this article on libertarianism.org.  The Lockean-Nozick justification of property rights has also been written about in this article on libertarianism.org. Here is the link to Ayn Rand’s book, The Virtue of Selfishness, that explores the concept of ethical egoism. Michael L. Frazer has a book on Adam Smith’s theory of sentimentalism and how it departs from that of David Hume, which can be accessed here. You can purchase Michael Huemer’s book, Ethical Institutionalism, that was recommended by Peter at this link. Jan Narveson makes a contractarian case for libertarianism in this article on libertarianism.org. Here is Roderick Long’s article, Eudaimonist Libertarianism, that was published on bleedingheartlibertarians.org. Dan Sanchez published an article called, In Defense of Mises’s Utilitarianism, through the Mises Institute and is available for reading here. Here is Kevin Vallier’s article, A Rawlisan Case for Libertarianism, which also draws parallels to F. A. Hayek.  You can explore Milton Friedman’s natural rights-oriented political philosophy in his book, Capitalism and Freedom, which can be purchased from Amazon Canada at this link. Here is a joint article by John Tomasi and Matt Zwolinski called, A Bleeding Heart History of Libertarianism, which was published in Cato Unbound and can be read at this link.  This is a link to the Libertarian Party of the United States. Deirdre McCloskey elaborated on her idea of The Great Enrichment in this article published on the Foundation for Economic Education.

Economist Pete Boettke joins Alex to discuss the promise of liberalism in creating a better world. (This episode originally aired Aug 21, 2021.) References 1. “The Struggle for a Better World” by Pete Boettke Link: https://www.amazon.com/Struggle-Better-World-Peter-Boettke/dp/1942951876  2. “Hayek on the Role of Reason in Human Affairs” by Intercollegiate Studies Institute Link: https://isi.org/hayek-on-the-role-of-reason-in-human-affairs/#:~:text=Hayek's%20argument%20is%20primarily%20directed,socially%20autonomous%20human%20reason%20capable  3. Read more about Frederick Douglass and Lysander Spooner on Abolitionism  Link: https://teachdemocracy.org/images/pdf/Abolitionists-and-the-Constitution.pdf  4. “National Economic Planning: What is Left?” by Don Lavoy Link: https://www.amazon.com/National-Economic-Planning-What-Left/dp/1942951264  5. “Politically Impossible” by W.H. Hutt Link: https://mises.org/library/book/politically-impossible  6. “The Theory of Economic Policy in English Classical Political Economy” by Lionel Robbins Link: https://mises.org/library/book/theory-economic-policy-english-classical-political-economy  7. “Liberty’s Dawn: A People's History of the Industrial Revolution” by Emma Griffin Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Libertys-Dawn-Peoples-Industrial-Revolution/dp/0300205252  8. “So Who is Carmen Segarra? A Fed Whistleblower Q&A” by Jake Bernstein Link: https://www.propublica.org/article/so-who-is-carmen-segarra-a-fed-whistleblower-qa  9. “Rothbard and the Nature of the State” by Matt Palmer Link: https://mises.org/mises-daily/rothbard-and-nature-state  10. “Libertarianism as Humanism: Remembering Steve Horwitz” by Trevor Burrus Link: https://www.cato.org/blog/libertarianism-humanism-remembering-steve-horwitz