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Words & Numbers: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Free the People
Words & Numbers touches on issues of Economics, Political Science, Current Events and Policy. Each episode features Antony Davies Ph.D and James Harrigan Ph.D talking about the economics and political science of current events.
Latest Episodes
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- 3 weeks ago48 min
Episode 528: Public Executions: Be Careful
Ant and James go a little further than most in discussing the death penalty as we brace ourselves for the first public execution in the US since 1936.00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview01:13 MIT’s Certificate in Piracy03:59 Political Arguments, Social Media, and the Electoral College07:30 Chuck Grassley, Aging Politicians, and Age Limits12:28 Foolishness of the Week: Arrested Over a Shrek Meme14:06 Political Speech and the First Amendment16:56 Free Speech, Government Censorship, and Public Figures19:51 The Death Penalty and the Right to Life22:04 Can the Government Be Trusted With Capital Punishment?25:02 Nidal Hasan and the Case for Public Execution28:06 Should Executions Ever Be a Public Spectacle?32:38 The Morality of Taking a Human Life35:43 Public Executions, War, and the Slippery Slope38:20 Are These Signs of a Dying Political Regime?41:25 Principles, Revenge, and the Death Penalty44:19 Closing Thoughts and Words & Numbers Backstage
- 4 weeks ago1h 10m
Episode 527: David Friedman Returns!
David Friedman joins us once again to discuss differing legal systems (and Renaissance fairs).00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview01:14 Furries, Renaissance Fairs, and Pittsburgh Subcultures06:42 Rethinking the Social Security Retirement Age10:46 Foolishness of the Week: The BBC Loses Its Mind17:02 David Friedman on Alternative Legal Systems17:58 Renaissance Fairs vs. Historical Recreation23:04 Competing Legal Systems Throughout History28:15 Benefit of Clergy and Medieval English Law30:29 How Multiple Legal Systems Can Coexist32:06 Order Without Law and Enforcing Social Norms35:27 Civil Asset Forfeiture and Incentives in Punishment36:45 Amish and Romani Legal Systems39:50 How Romani Communities Enforce Their Own Laws46:11 Sharia Law and Islamic Legal Systems in America53:08 When Crime Is Against the State vs. the Victim55:17 Private Justice and Compensation in Iraq57:46 Tribal Responsibility and Saudi Legal Traditions59:09 David Friedman’s Current Projects and What’s Next1:00:11 Climate Change, Population Growth, and Economic Orthodoxy1:02:39 Where to Find David Friedman’s Work
- Oct 1, 20261h 6m
Episode 526: Nature Has a Normative Standard?
James and guest co-host Tom Krannawitter try to figure out (and explain) what the normative standard of nature is.00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview01:08 Trump, the Midterms, and the Future of the Republican Party06:27 Colorado Republicans and the Changing Conservative Movement09:42 What Does It Mean to Be a Conservative?16:02 Aristotle, the American Founding, and the Role of Virtue18:58 Foolishness of the Week: Mike Johnson and the $5,000 Checks21:46 The New Deal, Government Spending, and Buying Votes26:57 Why Culture Matters More Than Politics30:13 The Normative Standard of Nature32:50 Natural Law, Human Nature, and Right and Wrong34:41 Aristotle on Virtue and Friendship38:46 Can Morality Exist Without Religion?40:04 Learning from Experience, Age, and Human Nature44:29 Can Political and Cultural Norms Be Unjust?46:42 The Declaration of Independence as a Moral Standard47:54 The Intellectual Origins of American Progressivism49:05 Hegel, John C. Calhoun, and the Rejection of Natural Rights50:33 How the German Model Transformed American Education52:56 Progressivism and the Rejection of Nature
- Sep 24, 202656 min
Episode 525: Athens v Berlin
James and Tom Krannawitter, who is pinch-hitting for Ant this week, discuss the differences between the Greek and German educational methods, and why we should care.00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview01:17 Trump’s Triumphal Arch, Snipers, and Government Militarization05:25 When Police Destroy Your Property and Don’t Pay for It09:07 Qualified Immunity and Holding Police Accountable12:32 Could Insurance Help Police the Police?17:27 Foolishness of the Week: Homeschooling Disqualifies a Firefighter20:19 Homeschooling, Accreditation, and the Education System23:12 Classical Education vs. the Modern University25:22 How Accreditation Reshaped American Higher Education28:33 What a Real College Education Looks Like33:21 Socrates, Classical Education, and the Pursuit of Truth36:04 The Greek vs. German Models of Education41:01 Methodology, Old Books, and the Modern University43:16 How to Pursue a Real Education in College45:17 What Frankenstein, Blade Runner, and Plato Have in Common45:59 The Intellectual Origins of Progressivism47:25 Machiavelli, Technology, and Conquering Nature50:00 Social Engineering and the Progressive Project52:30 Natural Rights, Human Will, and the Limits of the Enlightenment54:35 Closing Thoughts
- Sep 17, 202657 min
Episode 524: The Ratchet Effect
Ant and James dissect the constant involvement of government in "emergencies," which seem to happen once a decade. For some reason.0:00 Introduction and Episode Preview0:50 The Ig Nobel Prize: Are Rich People More Selfish?5:13 Rising Oil Prices and the Real Cost of Policy Decisions7:20 Trump’s $5,000 Checks and the Inflation Problem10:22 The Lindsay Clancy Trial and a Bizarre Jury Split12:22 Foolishness of the Week: A Five-Year-Old, a Pond, and CPS15:32 Foolishness of the Week: Punished for Stopping a Mass Shooter18:17 The Affordability Crisis and Government Intervention19:58 The Ratchet Effect: Why Government Power Never Shrinks21:15 From the Great Depression to COVID: A Century of Expanding Government24:14 The 2030s: Social Security and the Coming Wealth Tax25:50 The 2040s: The Debt Crisis and a Digital Dollar32:27 The 2050s: Population Decline and Universal Basic Income34:11 How Temporary Government Powers Become Permanent35:27 Socialism, the Berlin Wall, and North vs. South Korea40:11 Social Security Insolvency and America’s Growing Debt42:11 Property Taxes, Ownership, and the Erosion of Economic Freedom47:01 How Young People Can Prepare for Social Security’s Future50:21 Retirement Savings and the Coming AI Bubble54:32 AI Regulation, Government Protection, and the Ratchet Effect
- Sep 10, 202654 min
Episode 523: It’s Always 9/11
Ant and James reflect on 9/11, both the day and its legacy.0:00 Introduction and Episode Preview0:24 Citizens United, Super PACs, and Money in Politics6:48 Corporate Donations, Trump, and Political Influence10:50 AI Is Putting an Entire Industry Out of Business13:56 AI, College Cheating, and the Future of Education17:28 Foolishness of the Week: Trump Threatens to Halt Trade20:48 Why Trade Deficits Aren’t What Politicians Think22:24 25 Years Later: Remembering 9/1125:25 Where We Were When the Attacks Happened29:03 How 9/11 Changed America Overnight31:39 Fear, Terrorism, and the Wars That Followed 9/1134:22 How 9/11 Changed the Nature of War35:17 The War on Terror and America’s “Wars on Nouns”42:28 TSA, Security Theater, and the Post-9/11 Surveillance State44:30 The Militarization of American Law Enforcement46:06 Did Americans Trade Freedom for Security?48:31 Fear, Crime, and the Lasting Legacy of 9/1150:32 Closing Thoughts: Have Some Charity in Your Heart
- Sep 3, 202653 min
Episode 522: Disinteresting Rates
What's the deal with bonds and interest rates? Find out on Words & Numbers, where we will use both words and numbers to get to the bottom of things.0:00 Introduction and Episode Preview0:42 Free Speech and the First Amendment7:45 Rutgers Dean Caught Recording Students09:55 Renaming the Great Lakes “Lake America”11:41 Foolishness of the Week: George Santos Gets Banned From Kalshi14:27 Is the Government Running Out of Places to Borrow?20:24 Why Treasury Investors Are Demanding Higher Returns22:10 The Federal Debt and the Interest Rate Spiral24:06 Can the Government Tax Its Way Out of the Deficit?26:24 Will the Government Eventually Monetize the Debt?27:43 The Federal Reserve vs. the Treasury33:05 Scott Bessent’s Plan to Push Interest Rates Down36:42 Is the Treasury Gambling on Short-Term Debt?41:37 Is the Treasury Trying to Conduct Monetary Policy?44:38 Are We Seeing the Beginning of a U.S. Debt Crisis?49:03 Can Social Security Force Congress to Confront the Debt?51:35 Closing Thoughts: Find an Excuse to Be Nice
- Aug 27, 20261h 2m
Episode 521: A Priest Walks Into a Podcast
A priest shows up. Antony doesn’t confess, James doesn’t convert, but they all talk about human dignity.Checkout Fr. James Martin, SJ 's book, 'Work in Progress.'https://www.amazon.com/dp/00626944800:00 Introduction and Overview0:29 The Ultimate Quiet Quitting Story4:32 Scott Bessent’s $950 Billion Bond Buyback Plan8:05 Is the Treasury Conducting Its Own Monetary Policy?12:14 Foolishness of the Week: American Airlines Does It Again16:57 Father James Martin on Pope Leo, AI, and Human Dignity20:50 What Happens When AI Meets Humanlike Robots?22:48 AI, Loneliness, and Replacing Human Relationships24:57 Can Free Markets Serve the Common Good?29:22 Property Rights, Poverty, and the Role of the Church34:53 Who Gets to Define the “Common Good”?36:17 Subsidiarity, Data Centers, and Local Decision-Making41:18 Human Rights vs. Human Flourishing43:38 Wealth, Profit, and the Morality of Capitalism48:00 What Did Jesus Mean by “The Poor Will Always Be With You”?51:22 Individual Charity vs. Community Responsibility55:15 Social Media, Human Dignity, and the Loss of Community1:00:09 Father James Martin’s Work in Progress
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About Words & Numbers
Words & Numbers touches on issues of Economics, Political Science, Current Events and Policy. Each episode features Antony Davies Ph.D and James Harrigan Ph.D talking about the economics and political science of current events.
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