The Curious Task

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

Alex Aragona speaks with Maria Pia Paganelli as she sheds light on the historical context of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations, and some of the surprising insights within it that make it more relevant than ever today.  References 1. “The Routledge Guidebook to Smith’s Wealth of Nations” by Maria Pia Paginelli Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Routledge-Guidebook-Smiths-Wealth-Nations/dp/1138686158  2. “The Wealth of Nations” by Adam Smith Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1680920960  3. “The Adam Smith Problem in Reverse: Self-Interest in The Wealth of Nations and The Theory of Moral Sentiments” by Maria Pia Paginelli Link: https://read.dukeupress.edu/hope/article-abstract/40/2/365/38402/The-Adam-Smith-Problem-in-Reverse-Self-Interest-in?redirectedFrom=PDF

Alex Aragona speaks with Emily Nacol as she breaks down both the origins and contemporary puzzles of the concept of risk. References 1. "An Age of Risk: Politics and Economy in Early Britain" by Emily Nacol Link: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691165103/an-age-of-risk?srsltid=AfmBOoqPrhGB4AqvPOCalJPxFfkdI6iTXt5dkYsLvm5jCerE2A063rcP  2. “Leviathan” by Thomas Hobbes  Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1680920960  3. “Second Treatise of Government” by John Locke Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7370/7370-h/7370-h.htm  4. “A Treatise of Human Nature” by David Hume  Link: https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/bigge-a-treatise-of-human-nature  5. “The Wealth of Nations” by Adam Smith  Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1680920960  

Alex Aragona speaks with Andrew Sabl as he explores what he means by "realist liberalism" and how it works to curb some of the misguided tendencies of other liberalisms. References 1. Liberalism Beyond Markets by Andrew Stabl Link: https://www.niskanencenter.org/liberalism-beyond-markets/  2. Realist liberalism: an agenda by Andrew Stabl Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13698230.2017.1293916  3. A Look Back: Sedition, Free Speech and the President by Scott Bomboy Link: https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/a-look-back-sedition-free-speech-and-the-president  4. Presidential Power and Modern Presidents by Richard E. Neustadt Link: http://ereserve.library.utah.edu/Annual/POLS/3150/Curry/neustadt.pdf   5. “The Meaning of the Welfare State” by F.A. Hayek Link: http://bev.berkeley.edu/ipe/Hayek%20The%20Meaning%20of%20the%20Welfare%20State.pdf

Alex Aragona speaks with Michelle Schwarze as she presents what she means by resentment, and whether there is a place for it in politics. References 1. "Recognizing Resentment: Sympathy, Injustice and Liberal Political Thought" by Michelle Schwarze Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Recognizing-Resentment-Michelle-Schwarze/dp/1108478662  2. Second Emancipation Proclamation letter from Martin Luther King to President Kennedy  Link: https://www.crmvet.org/info/emancip2.pdf

Alex Aragona speaks with Stefan Kolev as he tours through the origins of Ordoliberalism and some of its fundamental principles. References 1. When Liberty Presupposes Order: F. A. Hayek’s Contextual Ordoliberalism by Steven Kolev Link: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-history-of-economic-thought/article/when-liberty-presupposes-order-f-a-hayeks-contextual-ordoliberalism/E3B96673B94952167704B24FC3A91857  2. “Old Chicago” and Freiburg: Why Ordoliberalism Was No “German Oddity” by Steven Kolev Link: https://www.promarket.org/2021/07/25/chicago-freiburg-ordoliberalism-neoliberalism-germany/  3. The quote is from “Power Is Evil in Itself”: The Ordoliberal Quest for a Privilege-Free Order by Steven Kolev Link: https://www.promarket.org/2021/03/28/ordoliberal-privilege-free-order-walter-eucken-franz-bohm-germany/

Alex Aragona speaks with Travis Smith as he explores some key insights from Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America. References 1. “Superhero Ethics” by Travis Smith  Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Superhero-Ethics-Comic-Heroes-World/dp/1599474549  2. “Democracy in America” by Alexis de Tocqueville Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Democracy-America-Tocqueville-Mansfield-Winthrop/dp/0226805360  3. “Democracy in America, Volume 2” by Alexis de Tocqueville Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Democracy-America-Vol-Alexis-Tocqueville/dp/0679728260

Alex Aragona speaks with Caroline Breashears as she explores concepts from Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, and connects them to various characters and stories in English literature.  References 1. “Eighteenth-Century Women's Writing and the 'Scandalous Memoir’” by Caroline Breashears Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Eighteenth-Century-Womens-Writing-Scandalous-Memoir/dp/3319486543  2. “The Practical Morality of Life: Adam Smith, George Anne Bellamy, and the Theatre” Link: https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-the-practical-morality-of-life.html  3. “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  4. “Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination” by J.K. Rowling Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Very-Good-Lives-Importance-Imagination/dp/0316369152  5. “1984” by George Orwell Link: https://www.amazon.ca/1984-George-Orwell/dp/0451524934  6. “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Frankenstein-Mary-Shelley/dp/1512308056  

Alex Aragona speaks with Pete Boettke as he presents his thinking on whether the world needs more classical liberalism, and how understanding the principles of liberalism might be the way to a better world.  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 

Alex Aragona speaks with James Otteson as he tours through the seven deadly sins of economics, and how they can avoiding them can improve your thinking on public policy and in personal matters. References 1. "Seven Deadly Economic Sins: Obstacles to Prosperity and Happiness Every Citizen Should Know" by James Otteson Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Seven-Deadly-Economic-Sins-Prosperity/dp/1108843379  2. “Adam Smith and the Great Mind Fallacy” by James Otteson  Link: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/social-philosophy-and-policy/article/abs/adam-smith-and-the-great-mind-fallacy/06F55076F21567E6F95D2310C4DDE540  3. Learn more about Dierdre McCloskey on her website  Link: https://www.deirdremccloskey.com  4. “The Confusion of Language in Political Thought” by F.A. Hayek Link: https://iea.org.uk/publications/research/the-confusion-of-language-in-political-thought