In this conversation from 2024,

Matt speaks with Tyler Cowen about his recent book "GOAT: Who is the Greatest Economist of all Time and Why Does it Matter?", as they discuss the case for and against each of the top finalists, and the interactive AI features that Tyler has integrated into the book's online release.

Episode Notes:

The full book plus all interactive AI features can be found for free here: https://goatgreatesteconomistofalltime.ai/en

In this episode from 2022, 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-say-gay

4. “An Introduction to Marxism for Non-Marxists” ReImagined Podcast Episode

Link: https://www.reimaginingliberty.com/an-introduction-to-marxism-for-non-marxists-w-ian-bennett/

In this conversation from 2023, Alex and Mike Munger discuss two strains of thought within the liberty movement - one concerned with philosophical purity and cohesion, the other with advancement towards a common ideal of greater freedom for all.

Episode Notes:

Mike's article "The Right Kind of Nothing": https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-right-kind-of-nothing/

An introduction to Coasian bargaining:

http://www.ejolt.org/2015/09/coasian-bargaining-2/

The Piece commissioned by Leonard Read by Milton Friedman and George Stigler on Rent Control:

https://fee.org/resources/roofs-or-ceilings-the-current-housing-problem/

Mike Munger's piece "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things"

https://www.aier.org/article/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-directionalists-vs-destinationists/

James Buchanan on Relatively Absolute Absolutes

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11127-021-00883-0

In this conversation from 2023, Alex speaks with Pete Boettke about the relevancy of Friedrich Hayek in the contemporary context, what it means to be a "Hayekian" and the curious tale of how Hayek came to be the focus of his latest book "F. A. Hayek: Economics, Political Economy and Social Philosophy"

Episode Notes

• Pete’s book “F. A. Hayek: Economics, Political Economy and Social Philosophy“ https://a.co/d/ah7SpwW
• Hayek on The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/friedrich-hayek/
• Introduction to Hayek’s “Road to Serfdom” https://mises.org/library/road-serfdom-0
• Murray Rothbard’s “Man, Economy and State” retrospective https://fee.org/articles/rothbards-man-economy-and-state-at-50/
• Milton Friedman’s “Free To Choose” https://www.proglocode.unam.mx/sites/proglocode.unam.mx/files/docencia/Milton%20y%20Rose%20Friedman%20-%20Free%20to%20Choose.pdf
• Hayek “Prices and Production” https://mises.org/library/prices-and-production-and-other-works
• Introduction to economics of Lucas https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Lucas.html
• Steve Horowitz on Hayek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5dR0zgC1ZI
• Herbert Dreyfuss “What Computers Can’t Do” https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262540674/what-computers-still-cant-do/
• Horowitz quote on Hayek “we have to learn to live in two worlds at once” https://www.jstor.org/stable/41560288
• Hayek’s “The Fatal Conceit” https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo3643985.html
• Kenneth Boulding “After Samuelson, Who Needs Adam Smith?” https://read.dukeupress.edu/hope/article-abstract/3/2/225/12381/After-Samuelson-Who-Needs-Adam-Smith
  • “The Extended Present” (concept) https://medium.com/extended-present/about
• The “Grapes vs. Cucumbers as pay for Monkeys” experiment (youtube video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meiU6TxysCg
• The Constitution of Liberty - Hayek https://www.mises.at/static/literatur/Buch/hayek-the-constitution-of-liberty.pdf
• Chandran Kukathas’ Liberal Archipelago https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-liberal-archipelago-9780199219209?cc=ca&lang=en&
• Kind vs. Wicked learning environments. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/experience-studio/202007/experience-kind-vs-wicked

In this episode, Alex speaks with transportation policy expert Robert Poole about his book Rethinking America’s Highways. Poole makes the case for replacing the current tax-funded, politically managed highway system with a customer-focused, market-based model. He outlines how tolling, public-private partnerships, and long-term concessions can improve infrastructure, reduce congestion, and provide sustainable funding. The discussion examines lessons from international examples, the political and technical barriers to reform, and why a shift in mindset is essential for meeting America’s future mobility needs.

References

Rethinking America’s Highways — Robert Poole https://a.co/d/1gu8lWE

Robert Poole — Reason Foundation Profile https://reason.org/author/robert-poole/

Modernizing the Interstate Highway System via Toll Finance — Robert Poole (Reason Foundation) https://reason.org/policy-study/modernizing-the-interstate-highway/

Funding & Finance — Eno Center for Transportation https://enotrans.org/topics/funding-finance/

The Big Roads — Earl Swift https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-big-roads

Infrastructure Economics and Policy: International Perspectives — José A. Gómez-Ibáñez & Zhi Liu (eds.) https://www.booktopia.com.au/infrastructure-economics-and-policy-jose-a-gomez-ibanez/book/9781558444188.html

Thanks to Our Patrons

Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

In this episode from 2023, Alex speaks with Kevin Vallier about his new book "All The Kingdoms Of The World", in which he takes a global view of anti-liberal integralist strands in political thought and warns of the consequences of following them toward a rejection of liberal freedom and democracy.

Episode Notes:

• The conversation focuses primarily on Kevin’s book:
  • https://www.kevinvallier.com/books/all-the-kingdoms-of-the-world-radical-religious-alternatives-liberalism/
• Introduction to Catholic Political Integralism:
  • https://thejosias.com/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integralism
• Introduction to islamic political anti-liberalism
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamism
• “The Confucian Tradition and Politics” Youngmin Kim, Ha-Kyoung Lee and Seongun Park https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.991

In this episode, Matt speaks with Brian Dijkema of Cardus, about the moral limits of modern liberalism. Dijkema argues that while classical liberalism emerged from a tradition concerned with virtue and the common good, today’s liberalism often treats neutrality and technocratic governance as ends in themselves. They discuss the work of classical liberal theorists, Rawls' liberal vision, the legacy of Christian social thought, and how institutional renewal requires more than procedural fairness but rather a shared vision of the good.

References:

Brian Dijkema — Profile (Cardus) https://www.cardus.ca/personnel/brian-dijkema/

“Liberty, Equality, … Disintegration?” — Patrick Deneen in conversation with Brian Dijkema https://comment.org/liberty-equality-disintegration/

“Labor’s Conservative Heart” — Brian Dijkema (American Compass) https://americancompass.org/labors-conservative-heart/

Why Liberalism Failed — Patrick Deneen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Liberalism_Failed

“The Ethics of Attention in an Age of Distraction” — Brian Dijkema https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1146&context=icctej

Brian Dijkema — Contributor Archive (Convivium) https://www.convivium.ca/writers/bio/bdijkema/page/2/

Brian Dijkema — Articles at Comment Magazine https://comment.org/contributors/brian-dijkema/

“The Classical Liberal Diaspora” — Michael C. Munger https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/items/513d2184-ca95-4508-b4ef-f137a03b32f0

Thanks to Our Patrons Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask

In this episode from 2022, Alex speaks with Chandran Kukathas about the costs of limiting immigration and what effects there may be on policy if the question of who counts as an immigrant is itself unclear.

References

1. “Immigration and Freedom” by Chandran Kukathas

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Freedom-Chandran-Kukathas/dp/0691189684