Fernanda Pirie shares her encyclopedic knowledge of law throughout history and around the world. Follow @IdeasHaving Sexx on Twitter.Today’s book: The Rule of Laws: A 4,000-Year Quest to Order the WorldFind Fernanda Pirie: Author Page, Oxford, TwitterRecommended book: The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity

Robert Bryce explains how important electricity is to modern life.Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on Twitter.Today’s Book: A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of NationsFind Robert Bryce: Twitter, Author Page, Substack, Power Hungry PodcastRecommended Works: How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil, Renewable and Nuclear Heresies by Jesse Ausubel

Tibor Rutar analyzes the costs and benefits of capitalism using a straightforward and empirical framework.Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on Twitter.Today’s book: Capitalism for Realists: Virtues and Vices of the Modern Economy Recommended and Discussed Books: Social Democratic Capitalism; Would Democratic Socialism Be Better?; In Defense of Openness: Why Global Freedom Is the Humane Solution to Global Poverty

Mike Rinder talks Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, and his own role in the highest ranks of the church.Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on Twitter.Mike Rinder’s book: A Billion Years: My Escape from a Life in the Highest Ranks of ScientologyMike’s blog, Twitter, and YouTubeMike’s recommendations: The Sociopath Next Door, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, Blown for Good: Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology, Counterfeit Dreams, Bare-Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard, and Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of BeliefIf you are seeking help leaving Scientology: The Aftermath Foundation

Jonathan Rauch describes the social norms and institutions that generate knowledge.Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on Twitter.Today’s book: The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of TruthJonathan’s website, Twitter, and author page.Braver AngelsRecommended works: The Logic of Scientific Discovery and The Open Society and Its Enemies by Karl Popper; The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt; Politics and the English language by George Orwell; Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media by Jacob Mchangama; HATE by Nadine Strossen

Jason Brennan argues for less democracy and less politics.Today’s Book: Debating Democracy: Do We Need More or Less?Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on Twitter.Other books by JasonJason’s upcoming book: Democracy: A Guided TourOther discussed works: Uncivil Agreement; Democracy for Realists; Neither Liberal nor Conservative; The Case Against Education; I, Pencil

Jonathan Katz describes the economic motivations behind US interventions around the world.Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on Twitter.Today’s book: Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America's EmpireJonathan Katz’s blog & TwitterJonathan Katz’s recommendations: Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump; and The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our WorldOther books discussed: War is a Racket, by Smedley Butler; Overthrow; and The True FlagTopics: Haiti, China, Boxer Rebellion, revolution, war, business plot, coup

Michael Huemer makes the case that governments have no legitimate authority.Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on Twitter.Today’s book: Is Political Authority an Illusion? (Little Debates about Big Questions)Michael Huemer’s recommendation: The Problem of Political AuthorityOther books by HuemerMike’s web presence: Fake Noûs Blog, Personal Website, University WebsiteOther discussed books: The Property Species: Mine, Yours, and the Human Mind by Bart J. Wilson, and The Great Leveler: Violence and the History of Inequality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Century by Walter Scheidel

Paul Sherman explains how occupational licensing often violates the First Amendment.Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on Twitter.Today’s article: Occupational Speech and the First Amendment by Paul Sherman, as well as Paul’s recommendation: Professional Speech and the First Amendment by Rodney SmollaThe Institute for JusticeLiberty and Law articlesShort Circuit NewsletterFollow @PaulMSherman on Twitter.Topics: First Amendment, freedom of speech, free expression, law, supreme court, Edward Snowden, Fourth Amendment, privacy, civil asset forfeiture, qualified immunity, police brutality, constitution, civil rights

Chris Coyne lays out a powerful critique of American foreign policy.Follow @IdeasHavingSexx on twitter.Today’s book: In Search of Monsters to Destroy: The Folly of American Empire and the Paths to PeaceChris Coyne’s twitter and website.Chris Coyne’s recommendations: Political Capitalism: How Economic and Political Power Is Made and Maintained, by Randall G. Holcombe; Crisis and Leviathan: Critical Episodes in the Growth of American Government, by Robert Higgs; books by Andrew J. Bacevich, as well as Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and Gore Vidal.