John Wood Jr. - Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Sabine speaks with John Wood Jr. about political polarization in America and its effects on democracy, civil rights and activism today.
Sep 28, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 162
The Curious Task
We explore philosophy, politics, economics, and other ideas from a classical liberal perspective.
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Episodes
Brent Orrell - How Can We Flourish At Work?
Sabine speaks with Brent Orrell about the current challenges facing the workforce and labour market in America and abroad today.
Sep 21, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 161
Rachel Davison Humphries - What Is Education For A Free Society?
Sabine speaks with Rachel Davison Humphries about various schools of thought in the study of education and how they may offer alternatives to learning more compatible with a free society.
Sep 14, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 160
Sarah Skwire - Can Literature Influence Liberalism?
Sabine speaks with Sarah Skwire about the role of liberalism in literature and ways in which all forms of literature can influence our ideas about markets, trust, and the value of others.
Sep 07, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 159
Paige MacPherson - What Does School Choice Look Like?
Alex speaks with Paige MacPherson about school choice - and the lack thereof - in each of Canada's provinces today. References 1. Paige’s articles, The Fraser Institute Link: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/profile/paige-macpherson 2. Paige’s Blog Link: https://www.paigetmacpherson.com/blog 3. “Public, private, and charter schools: How they compare” by Understood Link: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/public-private-and-charter-schools-how-they-compare 4. “Explore: The Canadian education s...
Aug 31, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 158
Emily Chamlee-Wright - Why Work To Advance Liberalism?
Alex speaks with Emily Chamlee-Wright about what exactly liberalism is and why it is worth defending in a world that can no longer take it for granted.
Aug 24, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 157
Chris Freiman - Why Not Anarchism?
Alex speaks with Chris Freiman about ideal theory and the case for no state being the best state in a perfect world.
Aug 17, 2022•50 min•Ep. 156
Lauren Hall - How Do Libertarians Approach The Family?
Alex speaks with Lauren Hall about the unique approach that libertarians and classical liberals take when it comes to questions of consent, rights, and agency with respect to family and children.
Aug 10, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 155
Moin Yahya - What Is Inflation Really?
Alex speaks with Moin Yahya about debates both new and old surrounding the causes and history of inflation.
Aug 03, 2022•59 min•Ep. 154
Jen Dirmeyer - What Do Markets Do For Us?
Alex Aragona speaks with Jen Dirmeyer as she explores what markets do for us and the different ways they impact our lives. References 1. “The Use of Knowledge in Society” by Freidrich August von Hayek Link: https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/articles/hayek-use-knowledge-society.pdf
Jul 27, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 153
Graeme Thompson - What Is Canadian Liberalism?
Alex Aragona speaks with Graeme Thompson about the classical liberal tradition in Canada, and what the evolution of that tradition has looked like. References A collection of the speeches of Wilfred Laurier can be found in an edited edition by Arthur Milnes, available from Amazon here. Macdonald Laurier and the Election of 1891 by Christopher Pennington can be found from Penguin House here. Graeme Thompson’s piece “Whatever Happened to Laurier” can be found in the National Post here. Graeme ment...
Jul 20, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 152
Peter Jaworski — What Is Libertarianism?
Alex Aragona speaks with Peter Jaworski as he explores his definition of libertarianism, and how different kinds of morality can lead to certain conclusions about libertarian institutions. References Peter Jaworski is the co-author of the book, Markets without Limits: Moral Virtues and Commercial Interests , which is available for purchase on Amazon Canada at this link . Peter mentions B. van der Vossen’s article on self-ownership published on Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, which can be re...
Jul 13, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 151
Janet Bufton - Are Libertarians Liberals?
Alex Aragona speaks with Janet Bufton as she explores where and how the tenets of classical liberalism come into play for those who call themselves libertarians. References from The Curious Task Special Episode 9 with Janet Bufton Janet Bufton manages the Liberal Studies Guides project and is a consultant at Adam Smith Works , whose websites have been hyperlinked. You can read more about Adam Smith’s thoughts on a system of natural liberty, the rules of commercial society, and the decisions peop...
Jul 06, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 150
Jacob Levy — What Is Academic Freedom?
As we shift into our break, our first special episode is one of our recent favourites, Alex's chat with McGill University professor Jacob Levy about how he looks at the issue of academic freedom. 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 Th...
Jun 29, 2022•59 min•Ep. 149
Eric Mack - Why Read Anarchy, State and Utopia? (Part Two)
Alex speaks again with philosopher Eric Mack about "Anarchy, State and Utopia", this time touching on some of the challenges to Nozick's theory and Eric's own personal connection to Robert Nozick during his life. References 1. Part 1 of Eric Mack’s The Curious Task Episode on “Why Read Anarchy, State, and Utopia?” Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-145-eric-mack-why-read-anarchy-state-and-utopia/ 2. Eric Mack’s Previous Episode “Why Not Socialism?” on the Curious Task Podcast Link: ht...
Jun 22, 2022•50 min•Ep. 148
Eric Mack - Why Read Anarchy, State and Utopia?
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...
Jun 15, 2022•54 min•Ep. 147
Abigail Hall - How Does Government Propaganda Manufacture Militarism?
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 D...
Jun 08, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 146
Kevin Munger - Why Do Baby Boomers Still Dominate Politics and Culture?
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...
Jun 01, 2022•54 min•Ep. 145
Stephen Davies — What is Global Catastrophic Risk?
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 Conse...
May 25, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 144
Deirdre McCloskey - Why Does Liberalism Work?
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/B...
May 18, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 143
Dwight Newman - How Can We Maintain The Rule Of Law In An Emergency?
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...
May 11, 2022•58 min•Ep. 142
Jason Lee Byas - How Should We Deal With Historic Injustice?
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 an...
May 04, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 141
David Friedman - What Does Law Have To Do With Economics?
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 Invest...
Apr 27, 2022•57 min•Ep. 140
Ryan Patrick Hanley - What Is Our Great Purpose?
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 Mora...
Apr 20, 2022•57 min•Ep. 139
Jacob Levy - What Is Academic Freedom?
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...
Apr 13, 2022•59 min•Ep. 138
Russ Roberts - What’s Wrong With Education?
Alex speaks with Russ Roberts about the nature of education and how we should rethink it in today's world. This is a special episode being released in conjunction with this week's episode of Econtalk . References 1. The Center for Experiential Learning at Washington University Link: https://olin.wustl.edu/student-resources/center-for-experiential-learning.php#:~:text=The%20Center%20for%20Experiential%20Learning,Driven%E2%84%A2%20practice%20and%20application . 2. EconTalk Podcast Link: https://si...
Apr 11, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 137
Aaron Powell - Is Fusionism Dead?
Alex speaks with Aaron Powell about the origins of fusionism, where it stands today, and why non-traditional alliances might be the way of the future. References 1. Free Thoughts Podcast Link: https://www.libertarianism.org/podcasts/free-thoughts 2. ReImagining Liberty Podcast Link: https://www.reimaginingliberty.com/podcast/ 3. “After protests, Disney CEO speaks out against ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill” by Elizabeth Blair Link: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/08/1085130633/disney-response-florida-bill-dont...
Apr 06, 2022•57 min•Ep. 136
Sabine El-Chidiac and Peter Jaworski - Does Immigration Make A Better World?
Alex speaks with Sabine El-Chidiac and Peter Jaworski about the advantages of advocating for more refugees and immigrants in Canada, and how it makes both immigrants and receiving countries better off. References 1. Institute for Liberal Studies Link: https://www.liberalstudies.ca/
Mar 30, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 135
Charles Cockell - Why Is Freedom Important Beyond Earth?
Alex speaks with Charles Cockell about his focus on the future of liberty in space. They discuss solutions for protecting individual freedoms and rights on settlements beyond earth, and the novel solutions to the problems that would emerge from these overlooked facts of life in space. References 1. “The Meaning of Liberty Beyond Earth” by Charles S. Cockell Link: https://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Liberty-Beyond-Earth-Society/dp/3319095668 2. Earth and Space Foundation Link: https://www.earthandspac...
Mar 23, 2022•55 min•Ep. 134
Pete Boettke — Is a Better World Possible?
Economist Pete Boettke joins Alex to discuss the promise of liberalism in creating a better world. (This episode originally aired Aug 21, 2021.) 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,so...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 133
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