The American Founders sign the Declaration in Philadelphia. Adam Smith of Kirkcaldy, Scotland, publishes The Wealth of Nations. In Paris, Antoine Laurent Lavoisier demonstrates the composition of air. In Salzburg, 20-year-old Mozart begins work on Piano Concerto No. 9. The Bolshoi Ballet is founded in Moscow. What a year.
1776 in Moscow, Paris, Salzburg, Philadephia, and Kirkcaldy Read More »
RESCHEDULED FOR JULY 17. In May, I led a discussion with the Atlas Intellectuals on George Orwell’s review of The Totalitarian Enemy. The question Orwell asked was: Are the Nazis really Socialist? I’m returning to the group on Friday, JulY 17 at 2 pm CT to discuss the new Waterfall campaign on Objectivity, beginning with
TAS livestream upcoming on Mill, Objectivity, and Liberal Education Read More »
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 guide—as well as explore the hostility
Rand’s “Francisco’s Money Speech” [Waterfall] Read More »
Happily, due to the volume of very good questions I’ve been getting, I’m doing regular Q&A livestream sessions at thinkspot. The next one (free) is July 11 at noon Central. It will be an open session focusing on the questions (so far) about toppling statues, violence from Right and Left, free will, Marxism, BLM, and
July 11 free Q&A at thinkspot Read More »
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
On accepting government grants, paybacks, subsidies (and the PPP in particular) Read More »
We’re now posting serially 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 to enlarge.
Conservatives: Get Over the Dark Ages [Open College transcript] Read More »
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.”
Social Justice for Libertarians? Libertarians for Social Justice? Or neither? Read More »
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
The Skrobot conversation: colonialism, poverty and racism in America Read More »