#608: Signal Over Noise with Noah Feldman — The War in Ukraine (Recap and Predictions), The Machiavelli of Maryland, Best Books to Understand Geopolitics, The Battles for Free Speech on Social Media, Metaverse Challenges, and More

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Jul 21, 2022

Noah Feldman, a Harvard professor and author of The Broken Constitution, shares his insights on the war in Ukraine, exploring the psychological motivations behind warfare and the implications for global governance. He discusses the risks of asset freezing on the U.S. dollar's status and dives into the complexities of free speech in the digital age. Feldman addresses the challenges of content moderation on social media and the Metaverse, emphasizing the need for thoughtful governance in evolving tech landscapes.

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INSIGHT

Why Nations Go to War

Nations go to war despite potential losses due to rational calculations.
These calculations involve perceived gains, uncertainty about outcomes, and national pride.

INSIGHT

Ukraine's Defense Strategy

Ukraine's initial defense was likely influenced by a different assessment of the war's outcome than Putin's.
Defending one's own territory offers significant advantages over invading.

INSIGHT

Europe's Stake in the War

Europe's support for Ukraine stems from the fear of renewed instability and war on the continent.
The war's global significance is tied to questions about Europe's future stability.

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The Broken Constitution

Noah Feldman

In 'The Broken Constitution', Noah Feldman provides a compelling narrative of Abraham Lincoln's constitutional choices during the Civil War. Feldman argues that Lincoln deliberately violated the founding principles of the U.S. Constitution to save it, transforming it from a compromise pact into a sacred text embodying the nation's highest ideals. The book explores Lincoln's actions, including the suspension of habeas corpus and the Emancipation Proclamation, within the context of his time.

Scorpions

Noah Feldman

Scorpions delves into the lives of Hugo Black, Felix Frankfurter, William O. Douglas, and Robert H. Jackson, four justices who shaped the modern Constitution during the tumultuous periods of the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War. The book highlights their complex relationships with each other and FDR, as well as their distinct judicial philosophies that continue to influence constitutional thought today.

Coup d'état: a practical handbook

Edward Luttwak

What We Owe Iraq

Noah Feldman

In *What We Owe Iraq*, Noah Feldman argues for a more ethical approach to nation-building, emphasizing the need to prioritize the interests of the governed population. Drawing from his experiences as a constitutional advisor in Iraq, Feldman discusses the challenges of providing security and promoting democracy in occupied territories. He advocates for a humbler approach that avoids paternalism and supports local self-governance.

Cool War

Noah Feldman

Cool War: The Future of Global Competition by Noah Feldman examines the unique dynamics of the U.S.-China relationship, highlighting both the economic interdependence and the geopolitical tensions between the two nations. Feldman argues that this relationship is distinct from the Cold War due to its economic entanglements, which create a 'Cool War' scenario where cooperation and conflict coexist.

Cool War

Noah Feldman

In 'Cool War: The Future of Global Competition', Noah Feldman explores the complex dynamics between the United States and China, highlighting their economic interdependence and geopolitical rivalry. The book delves into the historical context of their relationship, comparing it to the Cold War, and discusses strategies for managing this 'cool war' to prevent it from escalating into a hot conflict.

Divided by God

Noah Feldman

In *Divided by God*, Noah Feldman examines the historical and legal complexities of church-state relations in the United States. He identifies two main camps: legal secularists and values evangelicals, and proposes a framework to balance symbolic religious expressions with a stronger financial separation between church and state. The book delves into historical episodes to understand current controversies and suggests a path forward that respects religious diversity while maintaining the separation of church and state.

The three lives of James Madison

Noah Feldman

Noah Feldman's 'The Three Lives of James Madison' offers a comprehensive look at Madison's evolving political philosophy, highlighting his roles as the father of the Constitution, a partisan leader, and the first wartime president. The book delves into Madison's intellectual growth and his contributions to shaping America's constitutional government. Feldman examines Madison's collaborations, contradictions, and the lasting impact of his work on American politics.

On war

Carl Von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz's "On War" is a seminal work on military strategy, exploring the complex interplay of military, political, and social factors in warfare. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the nature of war as a dynamic and unpredictable phenomenon. The book delves into various aspects of military strategy, including the role of chance, the importance of morale, and the relationship between war and politics. Its enduring influence is evident in its continued relevance to military studies, international relations, and strategic thinking. It remains a cornerstone of military theory.

Bloodlands

Europe Between Hitler and Stalin

Timothy Snyder

Tim Ferriss and Noah Feldman on The War in Ukraine (Recap and Predictions), The Machiavelli of Maryland, Best Books to Understand Geopolitics, The Battles for Free Speech on Social Media, Metaverse Challenges, and More | Brought to you by MANSCAPED premium grooming products, Athletic Greens all-in-one nutritional supplement, and Allform premium, modular furniture. More on all three below.

I rarely cover current events on this podcast, but this is a new experiment.

To avoid overwhelm, I do not track the news 24/7 with doom scrolling. Rather, I depend on conversations with my smartest friends to find the signal in the noise. The following conversation with Noah Feldman (@NoahRFeldman) is an example of such a conversation, very similar to what we would have offline, and I wanted to share it with you. I learned a ton and changed my thinking a lot, which I always do.

Noah Feldman is a Harvard professor, ethical philosopher and advisor, public intellectual, religious scholar and historian, and author of 10 books, including his latest, The Broken Constitution: Lincoln, Slavery, and the Refounding of America. You can find my interview with him at tim.blog/noah.

Noah is the founder of Ethical Compass, which helps clients like Facebook and eBay improve ethical decision-making by creating and implementing new governance solutions. Noah conceived and designed the Facebook Oversight Board and continues to advise Facebook on ethics and governance issues.

Feldman is host of the Deep Background podcast, a policy and public affairs columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, and a former contributing writer for The New York Times. He served as senior constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and subsequently advised members of the Iraqi Governing Council on the drafting of Iraq’s interim constitution.

He earned his A.B. summa cum laude from Harvard, finishing first in his class. Selected as a Rhodes Scholar, he earned a DPhil from Oxford University, writing his dissertation on Aristotle’s Ethics. He received his JD from Yale Law School and clerked for Justice David Souter of the US Supreme Court.

He is the author of 10 books, including Divided by God: America’s Church-State Problem — and What We Should Do About It; What We Owe Iraq: War and the Ethics of Nation Building; Cool War: The United States, China, and the Future of Global Competition; Scorpions: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR’s Great Supreme Court Justices; and The Three Lives of James Madison: Genius, Partisan, President.

Please let me know what you think of this experimental format by sending me feedback on Twitter @tferriss. Do you love it? Do you hate it? Have suggestions for improvement? The usual long-form interviews with evergreen questions will still be the default and bread and butter of this podcast, but if you like this, I could see doing more of them, perhaps once a month or once every two months. It’s just an easy way to get caught up without drowning in news.

Please enjoy!

NOTE: This episode was recorded on June 22nd.

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[08:40] Russia vs. Ukraine: why?

[17:31] The first Web3 war?

[25:24] Will punishing Russian oligarchs make Putin blink?

[29:06] Did Putin miscalculate, or is he just playing a longer game?

[38:19] Could this conflict affect the US dollar’s status as a reserve currency?

[42:11] Exploring base/best/worst possible outcomes of the conflict.

[47:56] Recommended reading.

[58:15] Free speech in the age of social media.

[1:14:07] What’s at stake as free speech is legally reevaluated?

[1:23:18] Enforcement, decentralization, and free market considerations.

[1:31:09] Where Noah sees the free speech conversation in three years.

[1:35:50] Will the future be colored predominantly in AR or VR?

[1:39:45] Parting thoughts.

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