Free Thoughts

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Free Thoughts episodes

November 12, 2021 Regulation Games (with Peter Van Doren)
Fan favorite Peter Van Doren returns to the show to share with us his wealth of knowledge not only in regulation, but in many other areas of failed government oversight.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
51 min
November 05, 2021 The Drug War in Mexico (with Benjamin T. Smith)
Benjamin T. Smith uncovers the origins of the drug trade in Mexico and how this illicit business essentially built modern Mexico, affecting everything from agriculture to medicine to economics―and the country’s all-important relationship with the United States.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
52 min
October 29, 2021 Blind Injustice (with Mark Godsey)
Godsey explores distinct psychological human weaknesses inherent in the criminal justice system—confirmation bias, memory malleability, cognitive dissonance, bureaucratic denial, dehumanization, and others—and illustrates each with stories from his time as a hard-nosed prosecutor and then as an attorney for the Ohio Innocence Project.
Why do people become prosecutors? What sorts of relationships do prosecutors have with judges?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
49 min
October 22, 2021 How to Fix African Poverty (with Magatte Wade)
Magatte Wade argues that the most unique challenge we face is that the world has come to perceive that Africans themselves are not capable of creating prosperity—and require charity in order to survive. The combination of negative perceptions of Africans, combined with widespread ignorance regarding the need for economic freedom is a toxic combination. And Wade is working to change not only the perception, but also provide opportunities for Africans to prosper.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
46 min
October 15, 2021 Undoing Drugs (with Maia Szalavitz)
Maia Szalavitz writes that drug overdoses now kill more Americans annually than guns, cars, or breast cancer. But the United States has tried to solve this national crisis with policies that only made matters worse.
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48 min
October 08, 2021 America’s War Propaganda (with Chris Coyne and Abby Hall)
Christopher Coyne and Abigail Hall delve into case studies from the War on Terror to show how propaganda operates in a democracy.

From the darkened cinema to the football field to the airport screening line, the U.S. government has purposefully inflated the actual threat of terrorism and the necessity of a proactive military response. This biased, incomplete, and misleading information contributes to a broader culture of fear and militarism that, far from keeping Americans safe, ultimately threatens the foundations of a free society. How should we define propaganda?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
55 min
October 01, 2021 Is Section 230 a Problem? (with Jeff Kosseff)
Jeff Kosseff exposes the workings of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which has lived mostly in the shadows since its enshrinement in 1996. Because many segments of American society now exist largely online, Kosseff argues that we need to understand and pay attention to what Section 230 really means and how it affects what we like, share, and comment upon every day.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
47 min
September 24, 2021 What Happened in Afghanistan (with Sahar Khan)
It’s true that for the first time in 20 years, there is no US military presence in Afghanistan. But Sahar Khan suggests that the war is not really over. Throughout this episode they discuss what happened in Afghanistan over the last 2 decades and why the United States kept troops on the ground there longer than anticipated.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
58 min
September 17, 2021 America's Political Instability
Strange things happen to parties that can win while getting fewer votes. For one thing, they’re driven to be more radical. Another is that a victorious party can still feel like a persecuted minority because they actually are the minority. And this phenomenon is running rampant in the United States. Andy Craig discusses how we can relieve pressure from our cracking political system.
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47 min
September 10, 2021 Don't Do Your Own Research (with Julian Sanchez)
Many people have developed some level of skepticism about mainstream news media. By not trusting the news your alternative is to conduct your own research on certain topics. However, no one is capable of researching every possible domain without somehow relying on someone else's interpretation of the issue at hand.

Why don't people trust the news or the government? Why should you not conduct your own research?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
47 min

About Free Thoughts

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A weekly show about politics and liberty, featuring conversations with top scholars, philosophers, historians, economists, and public policy experts. Hosted by Trevor Burrus.

Hosted on Acast. See…