Topic: Philosophy

This Independence Day

“The entire political logic of constitutional government flows from the idea of negative rights. A government of limited constitutional power is possible only if the purpose of government is limited to protecting the natural rights of each citizen.” ~ Thomas Krannawitter

The Spirit Of ’76: Libertarianism and American Renewal

“Until recently, we knew liberty without order was decadent and order without liberty was tyrannical. But many powerful and influential figures have decided this wisdom is obsolete because it obstructs their demands for ‘systemic equity’ or their desire to ‘own the libs.'” ~ Alexander W. Salter

Adam Smith Discovered (and Solved!) the Trolley Problem

“Smith makes a claim about human sentiments that seems monstrous, but which is perfectly plausible: we focus mostly on ourselves.” ~ Michael Munger

Happy 300^th, Adam Smith!

“He really did help to establish a presumption of liberty—that is, ‘allowing every man to pursue his own interest his own way’ as a presumption.” ~ Daniel B. Klein

James Lindsay and a Friendly Point of Criticism

“Marx should be seen as but one—historically salient, to be sure—irresponsible human indulging perennial mentalities and bents that deny modern realities.” ~ Daniel B. Klein

The Constitution Is Dead. We’re Giving Away $20,000 to Create a New One.

“Too many intellectuals and activists play fast and loose with terms like ‘social contract,’ which is why a Constitution of Consent is one people will literally sign.” ~ Max Borders

How Arrogance Threatens Freedom

“Those who demand special treatment from impersonal, anonymous, and uncontrollable processes lack humility. They want credit for their achievements, and they blame others when their goals fall short. With such arrogance, freedom is indeed impossible.” ~ Barry Brownstein

Why Intellectuals Hate Al Czervik

“Power, by which I mean political power, is always zero-sum: if the intellectual elite has it, you and I don’t have it.” ~ Michael Munger

An Approach to Teaching Rawls And Income Inequality

“Far from representing an outcome chosen behind the veil of ignorance, political pressures will always be driven by full knowledge of the benefits realized by self-interested actors, even if they mouth formulaic invocations of ‘social justice’ while they do it.” ~ Michael C. Munger

The Screen of Gyges

“Lousy information will continue contaminating the noosphere until we figure out how to incentivize truth-tracking. So it’s not just that we must set up systems that better track the truth (innovation). We must set ourselves up to better track the truth (wisdom).” ~ Max Borders

The Essential Natural Law

Natural Law, Economics and the Common Good