The Curious Task

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

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/ 

Alex speaks with Kevin Munger about why the oft-parodied and dismissed subject of inter-generational conflict may help us to better understand current economic and policy trends in America and abroad. References 1. “Generation Gap: Why the Baby Boomers Still Dominate American Politics and Culture” by Kevin Munger Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Generation-Gap-Dominate-American-Politics/dp/B08ZK7YV47

Due to Ottawa's electricity grids being all but completely destroyed after the city was treated to a derecho over the long weekend, we were unable to use our devices to produce episodes or the internet to upload a new one. For now, please enjoy a timely re-release of our conversation with Stephen Davies on global catastrophic risk. References 1. “Empiricism and History” by Stephen Davies Link: https://www.amazon.com/Empiricism-History-Theory-Stephen-Davies/dp/0333964705  2. “A Dictionary of Conservative and Libertarian Thought” by Nigel Ashford and Stephen Davies Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Conservative-Libertarian-Routledge-Revivals/dp/0415670527  3. “Apocalypse Next: The Economics of Global Catastrophic Risk” by Stephen Davies Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Apocalypse-Next-Economics-Global-Catastrophic/dp/0255368216

Alex speaks with Deirdre McCloskey in a wide-ranging conversation that addresses the economic, philosophical, and political reasons why liberalism just works.  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 Dwight Newman, who encourages listeners to think critically about the use of emergency powers, the term "crisis", and recent events in the history of government limits on freedom and rights. References 1. “The Duty to Consult: New Relationships with Aboriginal Peoples” by Dwight G. Newman Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Duty-Consult-Relationships-Aboriginal-Peoples/dp/1895830370  2. “The Law of Canadian Constitution, 2nd Edition” by Guy Regimbald and Dwight Newman Link: https://store.lexisnexis.ca/en/products/the-law-of-the-canadian-constitution-2nd-edition-i-lexisnexis-canada-skusku-cad-6117/details  3. “Parliamentary Committee Notes: Overview - Freedom Convoy 2022” by Public Safety Canada Link: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/trnsprnc/brfng-mtrls/prlmntry-bndrs/20221013/03-en.aspx  4. “Canada’s Emergencies Act” by Department of Justice Canada Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-justice/news/2022/02/canadas-emergencies-act.html  5. “Legislation” by Canadian Security Intelligence Services  Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/security-intelligence-service/corporate/legislation.html

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

Alex speaks with David Friedman about the history of legal systems around the world from an economic standpoint. References 1. “The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to Radical Capitalism” by David D. Friedman Link: http://www.daviddfriedman.com/The_Machinery_of_Freedom_.pdf  2. “Law’s Order: What Economics Has to Do with Law and Why It Matters” by David D. Friedman Link: http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Laws_Order_draft/laws_order_ToC.htm  3. “Who Is David Ricardo and What Is He Famous For?” by the Investopedia Team Link: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/david-ricardo.asp#:~:text=Ricardo's%20widely%20acclaimed%20comparative%20advantage,as%20compared%20to%20other%20nations.  4. “Ordeals” by Peter T. Leeson Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/664010

Alex speaks with Ryan Patrick Hanley about the enduring power of Adam Smith's contributions to not only political and moral philosophy, but to what it means to live a good life.  References 1. “Adam Smith and the Character of Virtue” by Ryan Patrick Hanley  Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Smith-Character-Virtue-Patrick-Hanley/dp/0521449294  2. “Adam Smith: His Life, Though, and Legacy” by Ryan Patrick Hanley Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Adam-Smith-Life-Thought-Legacy/dp/0691154058  3. “The Theory of Moral Sentiments” by Adam Smith, Ryan Patrick Hanley, and Amartya Sen Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Theory-Moral-Sentiments-Adam-Smith/dp/0143105922  4. “The Theory of Moral Sentiments and on the Origins of Language” by Adam Smith Link: https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/smith-the-theory-of-moral-sentiments-and-on-the-origins-of-languages-stewart-ed  5.  “The Wealth of Nations” by Adam Smith Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1680920960  6. “Our Great Purpose: Adam Smith on Living a Better Life” by Ryan Patrick Hanley  Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Our-Great-Purpose-Living-Better/dp/0691179441

Alex speaks with Jacob Levy about the fine line between the generalized right to free speech and the distinct concept of academic freedom - and what implications there may be for academics and students alike in today's modern university.  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. Jacob Levy's Episodes on The Curious Task  Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/?s=jacob%20levy