Free Thoughts

A story of faithful foreign policy failure. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is the “right” life the same for you as it is for others? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why does your employer pay for your health coverage? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why are we talking about “Big Tech” now in a way we we weren’t 5 years ago? Cato’s own Matthew Feeney and Will Duffield join Trevor to discuss how the 2016 election changed the political landscape, the value of moderation, and how digital infrastructure influences a platform’s power. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Boettke’s liberal lineage in the academy illuminates his economic expertise. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is it true that, “an unjust law is no law at all?” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Privacy may seem simple, but it’s much harder to define than it seems. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Where does our idea of free speech come from and why is it so powerful? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Not to burst your bubble—but inflation is at the highest it has been for the past 40 years. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Was the USSR an evil empire? Cathy Young thinks the answer is quite simple—yes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Andrew Heaton presents “International Relations Theory for Dummies” (his words, not ours). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

California has had solid economic growth recently, pockets of vast wealth, and an extensive social safety net—yet it also has the highest poverty rate of all 50 states. What makes California so strange in terms of poverty and inequality? Michael Tanner joins Trevor to breakdown the many causes influencing the various forms of poverty in The Golden State. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bryan Caplan joins Trevor to explain how everything from immigration, education, workplace issues, and more are all part of labor economics (and why that matters). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Spencer Ackerman joins Trevor to discuss how the events of September 11th, 2001 changed terrorism from “something some people do” into “something some people are”; creating an opportunity for authoritarian violence, unfettered surveillance, and nationalist populism to grow. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The "Notorious PVD" sits down with Aaron and Trevor to discuss his knowledge of nuclear regulation, gas taxes, roving motorcycle gangs, and the purpose of intellectual inquiry. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Everyone values honesty, but figuring out just what it entails can be difficult. In today's episode, we're joined by philosopher Christian Miller to discuss what it means to be honest and which features of our environment can push us towards dishonesty. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Natural foods. Natural medicine. Natural living. They all sound good, and lots of people tell us we need more of them, and that government policy should support them. The trouble is, as guest Alan Levinovitz explains, nailing down just what counts as "natural" is awfully difficult, and that difficulty leads to a lot of bad thinking--and bad laws. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are elections really under more threat than they have been? Is there more fraud than there used to be? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why are prisons so different from nation to nation? And how are these institutions governed internally and externally? David Skarbek sits down with Trevor and Aaron to explore differing methods of incarceration, the issues with each method, and how, or if, a prison can be considered “successful.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.