Excursions into Libertarian Thought

By Libertarianism.orgSociety & Culture History Philosophy

Excursions into Libertarian Thought episodes

October 25, 2017 Freethought and Freedom: How Freethinkers Attempted to Avoid Persecution
George H. Smith explains some tactics that early freethinkers used in the attempt to avoid punishment for blasphemy and other religious crimes.
Originally published in essay form on March 13, 2015.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
12 min
October 18, 2017 Freethought and Freedom: Shaftesbury on the Value of Ridicule
George H. Smith explores Shaftesbury’s defense of ridicule and satire in matters of religion.
Originally published in essay form on March 6, 2015.
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13 min
October 11, 2017 Freethought and Freedom: Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin on Persecution
George H. Smith explains how some leading Christian theologians justified the death penalty for heretics and blasphemers.
Originally published in essay form on February 27, 2015.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
13 min
October 04, 2017 Freethought and Freedom: The Problem of Heresy
George H. Smith explains the similarities between medieval heresy and our modern notion of treason against the state.
Originally published in essay form on February 20, 2015.
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10 min
September 27, 2017 Freethought and Freedom: Augustine’s Case for Righteous Persecution
Augustine argued that religious persecution was justified when done in the interest of the salvation of those persecuted.
Originally published in essay form on February 13, 2015.
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13 min
July 26, 2017 Freethought and Freedom: Introduction
George H. Smith begins his series on the historical relationship between religious skepticism and libertarianism.
Originally published in essay form on January 30, 2015.
Narrated by Daniel Hyland.
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24 min
July 19, 2017 Self-Interest and Social Order in Classical Liberalism: Bernard Mandeville v. Francis Hutcheson
George H. Smith discusses what Bernard Mandeville meant in saying that private vices produce public benefits, and how Francis Hutcheson criticized that theory.
Originally published in essay form on January 23, 2015.
Narrated by Daniel Hyland.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 min
July 14, 2017 Self-Interest and Social Order in Classical Liberalism: Mandeville on the Benefits of Vice
George H. Smith discusses Bernard Mandeville’s defense of legal prostitution and other vices.
Originally published in essay form on January 16, 2015.
Narrated by Daniel Hyland.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
15 min
July 07, 2017 Self-Interest and Social Order in Classical Liberalism: Bernard Mandeville
George H. Smith explains why Mandeville’s ideas about vice made him one of the most notorious writers of his time.
Originally published in essay form on January 9, 2015.
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15 min
June 28, 2017 Self-Interest and Social Order in Classical Liberalism: Joseph Butler, Continued
Originally published in essay form on December 19, 2014.
Narrated by Daniel Hyland.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 min