The Rational Egoist: Debating Objectivist Ethics with Professor Michael Huemer and Host Michael Liebowitz Welcome this episode of "The Rational Egoist," a stimulating podcast with host Michael Liebowitz, where philosophical concepts, ethical frameworks, and the power of choice are brought to the fore. In this episode, Michael engages in a thought-provoking debate with Professor Michael Huemer, a respected professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a strong proponent of e...
May 22, 2023•48 min
The Rational Egoist: Navigating Emotions, Philosophy, and Free Will James Steven Valliant Discover the intriguing world of your mind with "The Rational Egoist," a captivating podcast that takes you on a journey into the fascinating realms of emotions, philosophy, and subconscious cognition. In this podcast, Michael is delighted to feature his guest, James Steven Valliant, a renowned Objectivist, author, and advocate of Ayn Rand's philosophy. Valliant's extensive work at the Ayn Rand Centre UK an...
May 22, 2023•48 min
Unveiling Stigma: Navigating Addiction and Treatment in the Opioid Epidemic with Dr. Jonathan Avery Join host Michael Liebowitz in this illuminating episode of The Rational Egoist as he welcomes guest Dr. Jonathan Avery, a leading specialist in addiction psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine, New York. They dive deep into the heart of the opioid epidemic, focusing on the intense stigmatisation that surrounds substance abuse. Discussing the paradox of our societal attitudes, they explore why subst...
May 19, 2023•37 min
The Rational Egoist: Navigating Political Landscapes with Prof. Bryan Caplan In this episode, our host Michael Liebowitz is joined by esteemed economist, Professor Bryan Caplan, to unravel the complex spectrum of political ideologies that exist today. Professor Caplan brings a fresh perspective to the conversation, drawing on historical perspectives, economic theories, and his latest book, “Voters as Mad Scientists: Essays on Political Irrationality." The discussion kicks off by tracing the root...
May 18, 2023•42 min
The Rational Egoist with Michael Liebowitz: Rediscovering Objectivism in Today's Society with Dr Harry Binswanger Join host Michael Liebowitz in this inspiring discussion as he interviews influential objectivist philosopher, author, and lecturer, Harry Binswanger. In "The Rational Egoist," they explore the relevance of Objectivism in our current society and its impact on individual lives. Objectivism, a Philosophy for Living On Earth, emphasizes that one's life belongs to oneself and the ultimat...
May 17, 2023•47 min
The Rational Egoist with Michael Liebowitz: Debating Theism from an Objectivist Perspective with Benjamin Seevers Join host Michael Liebowitz as he engages in a lively debate with Benjamin Seevers on theism in this intellectually stimulating episode of "The Rational Egoist." Michael challenges Benjamin's assertion that God is an immaterial rational creator. The conversation revolves around the role of rationality, the burden of proof, and the axiomatic nature of human existence and consciousness...
May 12, 2023•52 min
The Rational Egoist: Exploring Education, Rights, and Parental Choice with Manju Gerber Join host Michael Liebowitz on "The Rational Egoist" podcast as he delves into thought-provoking discussions about education, individual rights, and parental autonomy. In this episode, Michael interviews Manju Gerber, the President of Moms for Liberty at Hartford County, CT, a group for parents seeking to make introduce a new education system to align with their values. The conversation takes an interesting t...
May 12, 2023•44 min
The Rational Egoist: Overcoming Eating Disorders with Tracey Zito In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz interviews Tracey Zito, a fitness and well-being advocate, who shares her personal journey of overcoming anorexia nervosa and overeating. Tracey talks about her struggles with body image, perfectionism, and fear of judgement, and how she was able to let go of these destructive tendencies to tap into her own perspective and feelings about herself. Through her journey, s...
May 09, 2023•36 min
The Rational Egoist - The Failure of Corrections: A Personal Account with Kimathy Khama Watson In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Leibowitz interviews Kimathi Khama Watson about his personal experience with the failures of the correctional system. Kimathi spent 24 years in prison and shares his insights on the culture of corrections and the personal vendettas that can arise among correctional officers. They discuss how even inmates who have not done anything wrong can be subjec...
May 09, 2023•40 min
The Rational Egoist: The Myth of Mental Illness and the Therapeutic State with Jeffrey Schaler In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz interviews Jeffrey Schaler, author of "Szasz Under Fire," to discuss Thomas Szasz's psychology and his belief that mental illness is a myth. They delve into the concept of involuntary psychiatry and the notion that no one should be forced into treatment. They explore the idea that mental health is an existential problem of living and that i...
May 05, 2023•44 min
The Rational Egoist: Debunking the False Premise of ESG Funds with Lipton Matthews In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz interviews researcher and Mises publications contributor, Lipton Matthews, to discuss the false premise of ESG funds. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, and is a type of emotional investment fund that appeals to wokeism rather than proper economics. Matthews provides an objectivist perspective by arguing that the principal purpose of...
May 04, 2023•38 min
The Rational Egoist: Navigating Schisms in the Liberty Movement with Scott Schiff from The Atlas Society Description: In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz sits down with Scott Schiff from The Atlas Society to discuss the schisms within the liberty movement. The liberty movement has experienced several schisms, including anarcho-capitalism, open and closed Objectivist systems, and libertarianism. These schisms have led to heated debates and disagreements among those seek...
May 04, 2023•40 min
The Rational Egoist: Exploring the Differences Between Conservatism and Libertarianism with Joe Markley In this episode of The Rational Egoist, Michael Liebowitz interviews Joe Markley, former Connecticut state senator, on the differences between conservatism and libertarianism. They delve into the fundamental principles of libertarianism, which prioritize the protection of individual rights and property. They contrast this with conservatism's emphasis on tradition and preservation of the status...
May 03, 2023•54 min
The Rational Egoist: The Case Against Protectionism and the Path to Laissez-Faire Capitalism In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz interviews James Hohman, Director of Fiscal Policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, to discuss the detrimental effects of protectionism on free trade and the economy. They delve into the definition and examples of protectionism and its anti-capitalist nature. The conversation explores the importance of wealth through goods and servic...
Apr 28, 2023•40 min
The Rational Egoist: Exploring the Link between Irrationality and Nihilism in Today's Culture with Dave Goodman Description: Join Michael Liebowitz in this episode of The Rational Egoist as he interviews Dave Goodman, delving into the root cause of the nihilistic nature of our culture. They discuss the profound impact of irrationality on the rise of nihilism, and how the wrong or bad philosophy can fuel this negative trend. They also examine the role of reason in rationalizing one's life and avo...
Apr 28, 2023•44 min
The Rational Egoist: Understanding Transgender Identity with Ashley Stahl In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz interviews Ashley Stahl, a transgender woman, to discuss the objective definition of words and whether a trans woman is actually a woman. Ashley shares her personal journey of transformation, living with gender dysphoria, and making the choice to transition into a gender that aligns with her identity. The discussion delves into how society can accept and includ...
Apr 26, 2023•38 min
In this episode of The Rational Egoist Podcast, host Michael Liebowitz interviews Gabrielle Bauer, the author of the book Blindsight is 2020, about Covid dissidents and the philosophical implications of Covid policies. T hey delve into the idea that socialism has turned science into a religion to follow instead of realizing that science is based on information that is constantly changing. They discuss how individualism was not considered in the Covid policies, which led to both vaccine mandates ...
Apr 25, 2023•39 min
The Rational Egoist - Evidence-based Correction Practices to Reduce Recidivism In this episode of The Rational Egoist podcast, host Michael Liebowitz interviews Professor Debi Koetzle, author of "What Works and What Doesn’t in Recidivism." Together, they discuss evidence-based correction practices to reduce recidivism, or the likelihood of reoffending. They delve into the core issues behind criminal behaviour, addressing criminogenic needs, and the importance of cognitive behavioural therapy to ...
Apr 25, 2023•40 min
The Rational Egoist Podcast with Michael Liebowitz: The Constitutionality of Immigration Laws with Professor Ilya Somin In this episode of The Rational Egoist Podcast, host Michael Liebowitz interviews Professor Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, on the constitutionality of immigration laws. They delve into the fact that there is nothing in the Constitution that gives the government the right to regulate or restrict immigration, and that this assumption is inferred to exist ...
Apr 21, 2023•43 min
Rational Egoist Podcast: Ludwig von Mises and the Failure of Socialism In this episode of Rational Egoist podcast, host Michael Liebowitz interviews Dr. Mark Thornton, a senior fellow with the Ludwig von Mises Institute and an American economist of the Austrian school. Dr. Thornton provides a free audiobook titled "The Skyscraper Curse" for subscribers, which can be accessed through this link: https://mises.org/library/skyscraper-curse. The conversation centers on Ludwig von Mises' economic theo...
Apr 20, 2023•51 min
Exploring the Merits of Ranked Choice Voting in America In this episode of "The Rational Egoist," host Michael Liebowitz sits down with Jonathan Bydlak, the Director of Governance at the R Street Institute, to discuss the potential benefits of implementing ranked choice voting (RCV) in American elections. The conversation covers a range of topics, including how RCV works, the history of its use in other countries, and the potential impact it could have on American politics. Bydlak explains how R...
Apr 20, 2023•38 min
The Rational Egoist: How Different Countries Handled COVID-19 In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz interviews Jonathan Miltimore about the various approaches countries took in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. From Sweden's no-lockdown policy to Finland and Norway's less restrictive measures, they discuss the impact of government control and politicisation of the pandemic response. The conversation delves into how mandates affected people's liberties and livelihoods, the ...
Apr 19, 2023•51 min
The Rational Egoist: A Critical Look at Trumps Presidency with Rocco Lucente Join host Michael Liebowitz as he explores the intersection of Christian Constitutionalism, individual rights, and Trump's presidency with special guest Rocco Lucente. Rocco is a Christian and a Constitutionalist who supports Donald Trump because he believes that Trump's policies align more with his beliefs than any other candidate. In this podcast, Rocco discusses his views on limited government, individual rights, tax...
Apr 13, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 19
The Socratic Assassin: Uncovering the Truth with the Rational Egoist Join host Michael Leibowitz as he explores the power of the Socratic method with guest Jan Helfeld, known as the Socratic assassin. Through their discussions, they will delve into the art of asking questions that reveal the real differences in opinion, uncover contradictions in thinking, and get beyond the public facade of politicians. By using this approach, they will expose what people's true values are and how they shape the...
Apr 12, 2023•40 min
The Rational Egoist: Challenging the Failures of the Prison System In this podcast, host Michael Liebowitz engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Reece Hopkins from Reece on the radio, as they dive deep into the failures of the prison system. They discuss how blindly accepting things can lead to complacency and how questioning the status quo is essential to bring about change. They also shed light on how the imbalance of power in the government and law-enforcement agencies is leading t...
Apr 10, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 18
The Rational Egoist: Exploring Constitutional Interpretation The Rational Egoist is a podcast that delves into objectivist philosophy and its applications in various fields. In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz interviews legal scholar Professor Richard Epstein to explore the question of whether constitutional interpretation should be based on original meaning. Michael argues that regulating immigration and drugs is unconstitutional, and that individual human rights are...
Apr 07, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 18
The Rational Egoist: Ayn Rand's Philosophy of Capitalism in the Age of Trump In this podcast, host Michael Liebowitz examines the presidency of Donald Trump, discussing whether Trump's policies truly align with the principles of capitalism. He examines Trump's support for minimum wage, tariffs, bailouts, and government intervention in the economy, arguing that these stances are fundamentally anti-capitalist. Liebowitz argues that the only antidote to the rise of wokeism, political correctness, a...
Apr 06, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Challenging the Status Quo: Corruption, Third Party, and Prison Reform In this episode of the Rational Egoist podcast, host Michael Liebowitz engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Larry Sharpe, a seasoned business consultant, entrepreneur, political activist, and podcaster. Together, they explore some of the most pressing issues in the political landscape, including the impact of corruption on the political process, the viability of a third party, and the need for prison reform. Drawi...
Apr 03, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Examining the flaws of government intervention - The Rational Egoist In this episode of The Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz engages in a discussion with special guest Michael Mechanic, senior editor of Mother Jones, and author of "Jackpot: How the Super Rich Really Live, and How Their Wealth Harms Us All". The episode some common views on inequality and the merits of this perspective. The conversation begins with a discussion on inequality, with Mechanic questioning how much money a CEO ...
Mar 31, 2023•44 min•Season 1Ep. 14
The Paradox of Selflessness: How Wokeism and Trumpism Betray Rational Self-Interest In this episode of Rational Egoist, host Michael Liebowitz and guest Robert Tracinski, Senior fellow at the Atlas Society and author of "Who is John Galt, Anyway? A Pocket Guide to Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged," explore the challenges of civil discourse in the age of wokeism and Trumpism. Drawing on their expertise in rational egoism, Liebowitz and Tracinski discuss the paradox of selflessness as it manifests in the...
Mar 28, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 13
