Or the societal necessity to support (yet critique) Academic Freedom and Free Speech. Mike Grimshaw writes – The other day I attended the Free Speech Union AGM and was on the Academic Freedom panel. It was an interesting experience because while I am a committed supporter of Free Speech and Academic Freedom, in many ways […]
MIKE GRIMSHAW: It’s about critiquing power, stupid!…
MIKE GRIMSHAW: It’s about critiquing power, stupid!…
08 Nov 2023 Leave a comment
in economics of education, liberalism, Marxist economics
07 Nov 2023 Leave a comment
in development economics, economic history, economics of education, growth disasters, growth miracles, human capital, labour economics
They’re going to change the common names of all birds named after people
06 Nov 2023 Leave a comment
in economics of education, liberalism, Marxist economics Tags: Age of Enlightenment, political correctness, regressive left
The American Ornithological Society has issued a Diktat that all common bird names derived from a person’s name, or “eponyms,” are going to be discarded and replaced with descriptive names. The Latin binomials or “scientific names”, however, are not going to be changed. Below is the order from on high; click on headline below to […]
They’re going to change the common names of all birds named after people
Caplan-Singer Debate Video
05 Nov 2023 Leave a comment
in economic growth, economics of education, entrepreneurship, history of economic thought, human capital, income redistribution, labour economics, labour supply, macroeconomics, occupational choice, poverty and inequality, Public Choice, public economics Tags: taxation and entrepreneurship, taxation and investment, taxation and labour supply
A year ago, Jonah Franks, who runs Public Intellectuals for Charity, organized a debate between me and Peter Singer on “Do the rich pay their fair share?” I already posted my opening statement, my reflections on the debate, along with two follow-ups on Singer’s “Noble Lie.” The debate video itself, however, was gated for paying…
Caplan-Singer Debate Video
Liberal Hypocrisy is Fueling American Inequality. Here’s How. | NYT Opinion well worth watching
04 Nov 2023 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, applied welfare economics, comparative institutional analysis, economics of bureaucracy, economics of education, economics of regulation, income redistribution, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA, property rights, Public Choice, public economics, rentseeking, urban economics Tags: housing affordability, top 1%, zoning
Convincing evidence for human evolution
04 Nov 2023 Leave a comment
in economics of education, liberalism Tags: evolutionary biology
I occasionally get questions like this one: “What do you consider the most convincing evidence for evolution?” My answer is usually “the fossil record combined with dating methods,” but I often add that “the evidence from biogeography is so convincing that I’ve never seen a creationist even try to rebut it.” (You can see some […]
Convincing evidence for human evolution
The Democrats’ Anti-Semitism Problem | Wonder Land: WSJ Opinion
03 Nov 2023 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, economics of education, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA Tags: Middle-East politics, political correctness, racial discrimination, regressive left, war against terror
Walter Block on Sexual Discrimination & the Pay Gap(Uncut)
02 Nov 2023 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, Austrian economics, discrimination, econometerics, economic history, economics of education, gender, health economics, history of economic thought, human capital, labour economics, labour supply, occupational choice Tags: gender wage gap, sex discrimination
My conversation with Richard Dawkins
31 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, economics of education, economics of religion, law and economics, laws of war, liberalism, Marxist economics, war and peace Tags: free speech, Israel, Middle-East politics, political correctness, regressive left, war against terror
About ten days ago I had an hourlong conversation with Richard Dawkins for his Substack site, “The Poetry of Reality“. The video, from YouTube, is embedded below. As Richard says in his written introduction: We covered a myriad of controversial topics plaguing our world today: from the religious conflict in Gaza to modern-day struggles with […]
My conversation with Richard Dawkins
Bachelors of Advocacy: The Rise of Activism over Academics in US Higher Education
31 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
Below is my column in The Hill on the rise of advocacy courses and degrees in higher education. Activism has always been a valued part of our colleges and universities. Indeed, many departments have long incorporated advocacy subjects in their course of study, including in law schools. My concern is the degree to which advocacy […]
Bachelors of Advocacy: The Rise of Activism over Academics in US Higher Education
Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell by Jason Riley Book Review
30 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, development economics, discrimination, economic history, economics of education, gender, history of economic thought, human capital, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA, poverty and inequality, property rights, Thomas Sowell, urban economics
I was skeptical of learning about Sowell because he leans conservative, and I was curious to learn about Sowell because he leans conservative. The last few years I’ve grown sympathetic to the political left because I got tired of conservatives seeming hatred for all things “left.” After reading this book I think a lot of […]
Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell by Jason Riley Book Review
University of California Professor Threatens Pro-Israel Journalists and Their Families
29 Oct 2023 1 Comment
in economics of education, liberalism, Marxist economics Tags: free speech, political correctness, regressive left
The University of California at Davis is embroiled in a controversy involving one of its faculty threatening “zionist journalists” in a violent tirade on X. UC Davis Professor (and undergraduate adviser) Jemma Decristo posted the screed on October 10th referencing the homes and family of those who support Israel as possible targets. The university is […]
University of California Professor Threatens Pro-Israel Journalists and Their Families
A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell
28 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, discrimination, economic history, economics of education, gender, history of economic thought, human capital, labour economics, labour supply, liberalism, Marxist economics, occupational choice, poverty and inequality, Thomas Sowell
Another brilliant piece of work by the master, Thomas Sowell. Quite a theoretical book but an incredibly useful framework. I’ve observed numerous recent events through Sowell’s visions since I started reading the book. The ability for ideas to immediately infiltrate one’s framework and lexicon is a true hallmark of greatness. A vision is our natural […]
A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell
Jon Haidt on a new book, the silence of university leaders, self-censorship, and America’s loss of confidence in higher education
20 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of education Tags: affirmative action, political correctness, racial discrimination, regressive left, sex discrimination
UPDATE: See a positive review of this new book (as well as a related one by Yacha Mounk) at The Economist. This week, Jon Haidt’s short Substack piece (click on title screenshot below to read it), does four things: he introduces a new book, explains why University leaders remained largely silent (or waited a few […]
Jon Haidt on a new book, the silence of university leaders, self-censorship, and America’s loss of confidence in higher education
18 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
in economics of education, Karl Popper, liberalism Tags: conjecture and refutation, philosophy of science
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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