The Curious Task

As the university school year begins to wrap up, we're bringing back a classic episode of the Curious Task! Alex Aragona speaks with Bryan Caplan about the value of a formal education, and compares the alleged benefits against the reality. References from The Curious Task Special Episode 15 with Bryan Caplan You can purchase Bryan Caplan’s New York Times best-seller, The Myth of the Rational Voter...

Alex speaks with Neil Boyd about the effects of drug decriminalization and legalization in Canada and around the world, and how regulation and criminalization can have positive or negative impacts on users of various substances and the communities around them. References 1. “Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, 1996” by the Justice Laws Website Link: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8...

Alex speaks with Vincent Geloso about income mobility, distinguishing it from income inequality and the effects of markets and government regulations on each.  References 1. Vincent’s Articles Link: https://vincentgeloso.com/publications/   2. Vincent’s previous episode “Should We Care About Inequality?” on The Curious Task podcast Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-28-vincent-geloso-%e...

Alex speaks with David D'Amato about the modern concept of intellectual property and how such a thing could exist at all in a free society.  References: Copying is not theft cartoon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeTybKL1pM4  

Alex speaks with Jeremy Horpedahl about the unusual political alliance between Baptists and Bootleggers - both figuratively and literally - and what these ties can tell us about public choice economics.   Sources Referenced: Horpedahl, Jeremy. "Bootleggers and Baptists Revisited: A Reply to Critics." Journal of Law and Economics, vol. 62, no. 2, Oct. 2019, pp. 557-576. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/...

Alex speaks with Scott Beyer about the insights he's gleaned from travelling the world in search of the most market-friendly urban centers and what other countries can teach us about central planning, solutions to homelessness, and more.  References 1. The Market Urbanist Website Link: https://www.marketurbanist.com/   2. Scott’s previous episode “What Is Market Urbanism?” on The Curious Task podc...

Alex speaks with Brandon Turner about the nature of conservatism and whether or not it constitutes an ideology, the rate of change within conservative thought, and the relationship between conservatism and liberalism. References 1. “Conservatism, Ideology, Skepticism” by Brandon Turner Link: https://digital.sandiego.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1048&context=jcli   2. “The Conservative Sensi...

Alex speaks with Rachel Lomasky about hot-button issues surrounding machine learning and artificial intelligence and the limitations and definitions of each, especially when it comes to ethical decision-making.  References 1. Rachel’s Articles, Law&Liberty  Link: https://lawliberty.org/author/rachel-lomasky/   2. “Artificial Intelligence (AI) vs. Machine Learning” by Columbia Engineering Link:...

Alex speaks with Geoff Sigalet about Western Alienation and the events that led to the Alberta Sovereignty Act becoming law in Canada in December of 2022.  References 1. “Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act” by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta Link: https://www.assembly.ab.ca/assembly-business/bills/bill?billinfoid=11984&from=bills 2. “Opinion: Alberta’s Sovereignty Act is consti...

As you think about your New Year's resolutions, take another listen to Alex's conversation from May 2020 with Russ Roberts as he talks about the ways in which the ideas of Adam Smith can still change your life, even so many years later.   References from The Curious Task Special Episode 14 with Russ Roberts  You can purchase Russ Roberts’ book How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life at Amazon Canada ...

Alex, Sabine and Matt reflect on the year that was 2022. References 1. Christy Horpedahl’s episode “How Can Books Advance Liberal Society” of The Curious Task Podcast Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com/e/ep-163-christy-horpedahl-how-can-books-advance-liberal-society/   2. Russ Robert’s episode “What’s Wrong With Education?” of The Curious Task Podcast Link: https://thecurioustask.podbean.com...

In their conversation from December 2019, Alex Aragona talks with Lauren Hall as she explores the problems with modern healthcare systems and some of the possible remedies. References 1. “The Medicalization of Birth and Death” by Lauren K. Hall Link: https://www.amazon.com/Medicalization-Birth-Death-Lauren-Hall/dp/1421433338   2. “Midwifery Licensing: Medicalization of Birth and Special Interests”...

Alex speaks with Matt Bufton about Canada's unique approach to power, monarchy, and government and how happy accidents have led to one of the best-governed and most free countries on earth being ruled by a King - at least symbolically.  References 1. “The Governor General’s Decision to Prorogue Parliament: Parliamentary Democracy Defended or Endangered?” by Andrew Heard Link: https://www.constitut...

Alex speaks with frequent guest Peter Jaworski about the gap between a moral obligation and the expectation that some specific institution ought to be the one to realize that moral obligation - especially an institution like the state.

Sabine speaks with Christy Horpedahl about the entrepreneurial spirit that imbues Penelope Fitzgerald's "The Bookshop".

Sabine speaks with the host of the Curious Task Alex Aragona to find out more about him, especially what he considers classical liberalism to be in its essence. 

Alex speaks with Jayme Lemke about the life, work, and legacy of American Nobel Prize-winning political economist Elinor Ostrom.  References 1. “Elinor Ostrum and the Bloomington School: Building a New Approach to Policy and Social Sciences” by Jayme Lemke and Vlad Tarko Link: https://www.amazon.com/Elinor-Ostrom-Bloomington-School-Building/dp/0228004152   2. Elinor Ostrum Publications  Link: http...

Alex speaks with Thomas Bunting about politics, democracy, social progress and more as they relate to baseball and athletics more broadly.

Alex speaks with Edward Slingerland about the dance that most civilizations have done with alcohol and the delicate balance between worshipping its creative effects and fearing its dangerous consequences. 

Alex speaks with Scott Scheall about the importance of spontaneity for liberalism. 

Alex speaks with Claudia Williamson about what economists mean by culture and how individualism and other elements of culture can effect the economic progress of nations, peoples and groups.

Sabine speaks with Rosemarie Fike about the relationship between women's rights and economic freedom and the disparities that persist in contemporary economies around the world.

Sabine speaks with John Wood Jr. about political polarization in America and its effects on democracy, civil rights and activism today. 

Sabine speaks with Brent Orrell about the current challenges facing the workforce and labour market in America and abroad today.

Sabine speaks with Rachel Davison Humphries about various schools of thought in the study of education and how they may offer alternatives to learning more compatible with a free society.