Philosophy

On accepting government grants, paybacks, subsidies (and the PPP in particular)

A number of free-society individuals and organizations I’m involved with have been arguing about whether it’s appropriate to participate in the US government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), devised in response to the Covid-19 disruptions, shut-downs, and lockdowns. That particular program’s issues raise also more general issues of government funds. So: my thoughts. (Speaking only for

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Conservatives: Get Over the Dark Ages [Open College transcript]

We’re now posting serially at thinkspot the transcripts of my Open College podcasts. Here’s the fifth: OC5: Conservatives: Get Over the Dark Ages. “It’s a faux pas in some intellectual circles—mostly conservative ones—to say that there was a Dark Ages in European history. …” Here is the timeline-image I refer to in the podcast/transcription. Click

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Social Justice for Libertarians? Libertarians for Social Justice? Or neither?

At the 24-hour virtual conference hosted by the Australian Libertarian Society: Stephen Hicks and Steve Horwitz who will offer their very different perspectives on the libertarian response to the social justice movement. Click to register for the “24-hour digital liberty marathon.”

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The Skrobot conversation: colonialism, poverty and racism in America

A long form conversation with Dubai-based host Lucas Skrobot. Our topics: * Objectivity, wealth creation, and individual agency * The legacy of colonialism * Botswana and Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Japan, * Sweden and Norway: first individualistic and market-based; then more re-distributive. * Poverty and pockets of socialism in America: government welfare, government schools, government restrictions

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On Loving and Hating the American Founding

Like larger-than-life artists, athletes, scientists, movie stars, and entrepreneurs, the United States of America generates polarized love-hate responses. The U.S. was born committed to making a new nation based consciously on moral ideals rather than the happenstance of historical evolution: Individuals’ lives are their own to live. They are free to choose their own goals

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Marx’s “Power of Money in Bourgeois Society” [Waterfall]

Waterfall is a guided series of courses for everyone interested in issues upon which Objectivism has something distinctive and important to say.   The first course: Money. Examine the essential role that money plays in production, trade, and investment with thinkers such as Ayn Rand and Ludwig von Mises as your guides—as well as explore the

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