The Curious Task

Alex speaks with Elias Khalil about the influential ideas of Ibn Khaldun, delving into Khaldun's theories on the rise and fall of civilizations, the nature of political communities, and the importance of solidarity (Asabiyya). Khalil connects these insights to classical liberal thought and the works of Adam Smith, emphasizing Khaldun’s impact on understanding political order as a product of social dynamics rather than divine intervention. References 1. "The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History" by Ibn Khaldun, translated by Franz Rosenthal Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Muqaddimah-Introduction-History-Ibn-Khaldun/dp/0691166285 2. “Ibn Khaldoun and Adam Smith—Two Heroes of the Modern Age.” https://www.adamsmithworks.org/documents/ibn-khaldoun-and-adam-smith  3. “Ibn Khaldûn on Property Rights, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History.” Journal of Institutional Economics, August 2007, 3:2, pp. 227-238. (It includes a long excerpt (pp. 233-238) from Ibn Khaldûn’s The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History.) http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1744137407000677 4. "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" by Adam Smith Link: https://a.co/d/j7XuEp4 5. "The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128   

Matt speaks with Larry White about the principles of free banking, focusing on how competitive banking systems can operate without centralized control. Larry highlights historical examples and the theoretical frameworks supporting free banking, emphasizing the benefits of decentralized monetary systems. References "The Theory of Free Banking: Money Supply under Competitive Note Issue" by George A. Selgin, Foreward by Larry White Link: https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/white-the-theory-of-free-banking-money-supply-under-competitive-note-issue "Free Banking in Britain: Theory, Experience, and Debate, 1800-1845" by Larry White Link: https://iea.org.uk/publications/research/free-banking-in-britain-theory-experience-and-debate-1800-1845 "Competition and Currency: Essays on Free Banking and Money" by Lawrence H. White Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Competition-Currency-Essays-Banking-Money/dp/0814792472 "Money, Bank Credit, and Economic Cycles" by Jesús Huerta de Soto Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Money-Bank-Credit-Economic-Cycles/dp/0945466390 "The Denationalisation of Money" by Friedrich Hayek Link: https://iea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Denationalisation%20of%20Money.pdf "The Experience of Free Banking" by Kevin Dowd Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Experience-Banking-Kevin-Durham-University/dp/0255368305 "Money and the Market: Essays on Free Banking" by Kevin Dowd Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Money-Market-Essays-Free-Banking/dp/0415758424 Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald. To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

Alex speaks with Alex Edmans about his book May Contain Lies, examining the widespread issue of misinformation and exploring how factors like confirmation bias, cognitive shortcuts, and misleading statistics can shape public opinion. They discuss practical strategies for identifying and avoiding misinformation, along with the broader societal impact of misinterpreted data. References "May Contain Lies" by Alex Edmans Link: https://a.co/d/aX2AJ0I "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0385676530 "Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction" by Philip E. Tetlock Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Superforecasting-Art-Science-Philip-Tetlock/dp/0804136696 "Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think" by Hans Rosling Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Factfulness-Reasons-World-Things-Better/dp/1250107814 "The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail – but Some Don't" by Nate Silver Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Signal-Noise-Many-Predictions-Fail/dp/0143125087 "How to Lie with Statistics" by Darrell Huff Link: https://www.amazon.ca/How-Lie-Statistics-Darrell-Huff/dp/0393310728 "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447 Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald. To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

In 2020, Alex spoke with Mike Munger about the sustainability of capitalism. We're republishing that very important conversation today. --- Alex Aragona talks with Mike Munger as he explores his views on the sustainability of capitalism and the factors that contribute to it. References from Episode 23 with Michael Munger You can order Michael Munger’s book Is Capitalism Sustainable on Amazon Canada here You can order his book Tomorrow 3.0 on Amazon Canada here

Matt speaks with Jeffrey Miron about the justice and effectiveness of "sin taxes," evaluating whether taxes on goods like alcohol, tobacco, and sugary drinks achieve their intended public health goals or whether they unfairly restrict individual choice. The conversation explores the ethical implications of using taxation as a tool for social engineering and questions the actual impact these policies have on behavior. References "Should Governments Try to Reduce Sin?" by Jeffrey Miron Link: https://scholar.harvard.edu/miron/publications/should-governments-try-reduce-sin "The Time Travelling Dietitian" (YouTube Video) Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ua-WVg1SsA "Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Nudge-Improving-Decisions-Health-Happiness/dp/014311526X "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" by Adam Smith Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Theory-Moral-Sentiments-Adam-Smith/dp/0143105922 "For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health" by Jacob Sullum Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Your-Own-Good-Anti-Smoking-Crusade/dp/0684871157 "The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Constitution-Liberty-Friedrich-Hayek/dp/0226320847 Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald. To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

Alex speaks with Ádám Lovász about the concept of spontaneous order, examining its philosophical roots in thinkers like Hayek and exploring its applications beyond human societies, including ecosystems and insect colonies, as well as its implications for understanding the limitations of technocratic control in both markets and ecological systems. References Adam's Author Page on Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/author/B00LXFHXN8/about?ingress=0&visitId=5dbd96f1-456d-41f2-a1e7-6d59eeaf6ca9&ref_=ap_rdr "The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Constitution-Liberty-Friedrich-Hayek/dp/0226320847 "The Sensory Order: An Inquiry into the Foundations of Theoretical Psychology" by Friedrich Hayek Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Sensory-Order-Friedrich-Hayek/dp/0226320944 "The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128 "Anarchy, State, and Utopia" by Robert Nozick Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Anarchy-State-Utopia-Robert-Nozick/dp/0465097200 "Stigmergic Epistemology, Stigmergic Cognition Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389041707000290 "The Road to Serfdom: Texts and Documents -- The Definitive Edition" by Friedrich Hayek Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Road-Serfdom-Fiftieth-Anniversary/dp/0226320553 Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald. To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

Matt speaks with Colin Craig about the Canadian healthcare system, discussing its inefficiencies, long wait times, and potential reforms, while comparing it to healthcare models in other countries and offering practical suggestions for improvement. References Health Reform Now - the documentary that informs much of this conversation: Link: https://secondstreet.org/new-documentary-health-reform-now/  "Universal Health Care: What the United States Can Learn from the Experience of Other Developed Nations" Panel featuring Karen Davis Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2838163/ "The Healthcare Fix: Universal Insurance for All Americans" by Laurence J. Kotlikoff Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Healthcare-Fix-Universal-Insurance-Americans/dp/0262113147 "Cross-Border Healthcare" Link: https://www.pgeu.eu/cross-border-health-care/#:~:text=The%20Cross%2DBorder%20Healthcare%20Directive,provided%20certain%20conditions%20are%20fulfilled. "Analytical methods to assess the impacts of activity-based funding (ABF): a scoping review" Link: https://healtheconomicsreview.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13561-021-00315-1 "Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2022 Report" by Bacchus Barua and Mackenzie Moyer Link: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/waiting-your-turn-wait-times-for-health-care-in-canada-2022 "The Overton Window" Link: https://www.mackinac.org/OvertonWindow Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald. To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

To celebrate Sabine’s time at the ILS and her work with the Curious Task, we’re revisiting Sabine’s first appearance as a guest on the podcast. — Alex Aragona speaks with Sabine El-Chidiac as she explores the different ways civil society solutions help refugees succeed when they move to their new home. References from The Curious Task Episode 68 with Sabine El-Chidiac You can find Sabine's work on this topic mentioned in the podcast at Police Options here The Government of Canada’s website contains a list of all the programs under which economic immigrants are admitted into Canada. Here is some more information about the express entry pathway. As Sabine noted in the podcast, admission under the Provincial Nominee Program is dependent upon what the destination province deems to be their biggest occupational and employment goals and needs. This link provides a brief overview of the program and hyperlinks to province-specific guidelines. You can read more about the UNHCR’s Refugee Status Designation process on their website here, as well as their procedural standards here. This is the link to the Government of Canada’s guide to the private refugee sponsorship process. Sabine mentioned the work of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto to accommodate and build a community for refugees by performing fundraisers and food drives amongst the parishioners. You can read their mission statement on their website. Sabine’s article, The success of the privately sponsored refugee system, discusses some of the themes from this podcast, such as the principle of civil society, and is available for reading on Policy Options. Here is a link to the Rapid Impact Evaluation of the Syrian Refugee Initiative developed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (2016. It compares the outcomes, living standards, and satisfaction of government and privately sponsored Syrian refugees between 2015-2016. This is a link to the joint statement to the UN General Assembly by the Ministers of Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Argentina, Spain, and New Zealand speaking in favour of community-led sponsorship approaches that Alex briefly mentions on the podcast. Here is a link to the official PSR cap published by the Government of Canada. Some examples of the lobbying against PSR caps include the Canadian Council for Refugees and the Canadian Refugee Sponsorship Agreement Holders Association. Alex and Sabine discuss Danby Appliances’ CEO Jim Estill’s sponsorship and hiring of over fifty refugee families in Guelph, Ontario. You can read more about this in the article linked here. On the podcast, Sabine shares the inspiring story coming out of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia with regards to how the refugees who were once sponsored to the area eventually became systems of support for new incoming refugees. You can follow the community work for refugees in Haida Gwaii through one of their local newspaper’s website.

Alex speaks with Mark Koyama about the historical context and economic implications of the Manila Galleon trade, focusing on how monopolistic practices increased the risk of shipwrecks and the broader lessons for contemporary economics about the unintended consequences of monopoly power. References "Shipwrecked by Rents" by Mark Koyama, Desiderio Desideri, and Fernando Arteaga Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304387823001967  "The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128 "Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance" by Douglass C. North Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Institutions-Institutional-Change-Economic-Performance/dp/0521397340 "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith Link: https://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smWN.html "The East India Company: A History" by Philip Lawson Link: https://www.amazon.ca/East-India-Company-Philip-Lawson/dp/0582073855 "Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World" by Niall Ferguson Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Empire-How-Britain-Made-Modern/dp/0141007540 "The Rise and Fall of the Spanish Empire" by William Maltby Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Rise-Fall-Spanish-Empire/dp/1403917922

Summary Alex speaks with Jacob Levy about the concept of a liberal party, exploring its philosophical foundations, historical context, and touch on all of these points within the context of Jacob's article "The Liberal Party Idea" (2024). References The Liberal Party Idea by Jacob Levy: Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381323406_The_liberal_party_idea_and_American_ideology "On Liberty" by John Stuart Mill Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/34901/34901-h/34901-h.htm "The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Constitution-Liberty-Friedrich-Hayek/dp/0226320847 "The Federalist Papers" by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay Link: https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text "Reflections on the Revolution in France" by Edmund Burke Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Reflections-Revolution-France-Edmund-Burke/dp/0199539022 "Democracy in America and Two Essays on America" by Alexis de Tocqueville Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Democracy-America-Alexis-Tocqueville/dp/0140447601 "Two Treatises of Government" by John Locke Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Treatises-Government-John-Locke/dp/1616190345 "Political Liberalism" by John Rawls Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Political-Liberalism-John-Rawls/dp/0231130899 Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald. To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask