Alex speaks with Alex Edmans about his book May Contain Lies, examining the widespread issue of misinformation and exploring how factors like confirmation bias, cognitive shortcuts, and misleading statistics can shape public opinion. They discuss practical strategies for identifying and avoiding misinformation, along with the broader societal impact of misinterpreted data.

References

1. "May Contain Lies" by Alex Edmans
   Link: https://a.co/d/aX2AJ0I

2. "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0385676530

3. "Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction" by Philip E. Tetlock
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Superforecasting-Art-Science-Philip-Tetlock/dp/0804136696

4. "Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think" by Hans Rosling
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Factfulness-Reasons-World-Things-Better/dp/1250107814

5. "The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail – but Some Don't" by Nate Silver
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Signal-Noise-Many-Predictions-Fail/dp/0143125087

6. "How to Lie with Statistics" by Darrell Huff
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/How-Lie-Statistics-Darrell-Huff/dp/0393310728

7. "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.
To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

In 2020, Alex spoke with Mike Munger about the sustainability of capitalism. We're republishing that very important conversation today.

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Alex Aragona talks with Mike Munger as he explores his views on the sustainability of capitalism and the factors that contribute to it.

References from Episode 23 with Michael Munger

• You can order Michael Munger’s book Is Capitalism Sustainable on Amazon Canada here
• You can order his book Tomorrow 3.0 on Amazon Canada here

Matt speaks with Jeffrey Miron about the justice and effectiveness of "sin taxes," evaluating whether taxes on goods like alcohol, tobacco, and sugary drinks achieve their intended public health goals or whether they unfairly restrict individual choice. The conversation explores the ethical implications of using taxation as a tool for social engineering and questions the actual impact these policies have on behavior.

References

1. "Should Governments Try to Reduce Sin?" by Jeffrey Miron
   Link: https://scholar.harvard.edu/miron/publications/should-governments-try-reduce-sin

2. "The Time Travelling Dietitian" (YouTube Video)
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ua-WVg1SsA

3. "Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Nudge-Improving-Decisions-Health-Happiness/dp/014311526X

4. "The Ethics of Taxation" by Jane G. Gravelle
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Ethics-Taxation-Jane-Gravelle/dp/XXXXX

5. "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" by Adam Smith
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Theory-Moral-Sentiments-Adam-Smith/dp/XXXXX

6. "For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health" by Jacob Sullum
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/For-Your-Own-Good-Public/dp/0684849520

7. "The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Constitution-Liberty-Friedrich-Hayek/dp/0226320847

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.
To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

Alex speaks with Ádám Lovász about the concept of spontaneous order, examining its philosophical roots in thinkers like Hayek and exploring its applications beyond human societies, including ecosystems and insect colonies, as well as its implications for understanding the limitations of technocratic control in both markets and ecological systems.

References

1. Adam's Author Page on Amazon
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/author/B00LXFHXN8/about?ingress=0&visitId=5dbd96f1-456d-41f2-a1e7-6d59eeaf6ca9&ref_=ap_rdr

2. "The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Constitution-Liberty-Friedrich-Hayek/dp/0226320847

3. "The Sensory Order" by Friedrich Hayek
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Sensory-Order-Friedrich-Hayek/dp/0226320944

4. "The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128

5. "Anarchy, State, and Utopia" by Robert Nozick
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Anarchy-State-Utopia-Robert-Nozick/dp/0465097200

6. "Stigmergy and the Role of Insect Societies in Complex Systems" by Leslie Marsh
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Stigmergy-Insect-Societies-Complex-Systems/dp/XXXXX

7. "The Road to Serfdom" by Friedrich Hayek
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Road-Serfdom-Fiftieth-Anniversary/dp/0226320553

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.
To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

Matt speaks with Colin Craig about the Canadian healthcare system, discussing its inefficiencies, long wait times, and potential reforms, while comparing it to healthcare models in other countries and offering practical suggestions for improvement.

References

1. Health Reform Now - the documentary that informs much of this conversation:
   Link: https://secondstreet.org/new-documentary-health-reform-now/ 

2. "Universal Health Care: What the United States Can Learn from the United Kingdom" by Karen Davis
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Universal-Health-Care-Learn-Karen-Davis/dp/XXXXX

3. "Sick in the Head: Why America Still Doesn't Have Universal Health Care" by Sarah Kliff
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Sick-Head-America-Doesnt-Universal/dp/XXXXX

4. "The Healthcare Fix: Universal Insurance for All Americans" by Laurence J. Kotlikoff
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Healthcare-Fix-Universal-Insurance-Americans/dp/0262612263

5. "The European Union's Cross-Border Healthcare Directive"
   Link: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/205/cross-border-healthcare

6. "Activity-Based Funding Model in Healthcare: A Comparative Analysis"
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Activity-Based-Funding-Comparative-Analysis/dp/XXXXX

7. "Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada" by Bacchus Barua (Fraser Institute)
   Link: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/waiting-your-turn-wait-times-for-health-care-in-canada

8. "Overton Window: The Political Theory of Change" by Joseph P. Overton
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Overton-Window-Political-Change-Joseph/dp/XXXXX

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.
To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

To celebrate Sabine’s time at the ILS and her work with the Curious Task, we’re revisiting Sabine’s first appearance as a guest on the podcast.

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Alex Aragona speaks with Sabine El-Chidiac as she explores the different ways civil society solutions help refugees succeed when they move to their new home.

References from The Curious Task Episode 68 with Sabine El-Chidiac

• You can find Sabine's work on this topic mentioned in the podcast at Police Options here
• The Government of Canada’s website contains a list of all the programs under which economic immigrants are admitted into Canada.
• Here is some more information about the express entry pathway.
• As Sabine noted in the podcast, admission under the Provincial Nominee Program is dependent upon what the destination province deems to be their biggest occupational and employment goals and needs. This link provides a brief overview of the program and hyperlinks to province-specific guidelines.
• You can read more about the UNHCR’s Refugee Status Designation process on their website here, as well as their procedural standards here.
• This is the link to the Government of Canada’s guide to the private refugee sponsorship process.
• Sabine mentioned the work of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto to accommodate and build a community for refugees by performing fundraisers and food drives amongst the parishioners. You can read their mission statement on their website.
• Sabine’s article, The success of the privately sponsored refugee system, discusses some of the themes from this podcast, such as the principle of civil society, and is available for reading on Policy Options.
• Here is a link to the Rapid Impact Evaluation of the Syrian Refugee Initiative developed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (2016. It compares the outcomes, living standards, and satisfaction of government and privately sponsored Syrian refugees between 2015-2016.
• This is a link to the joint statement to the UN General Assembly by the Ministers of Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Argentina, Spain, and New Zealand speaking in favour of community-led sponsorship approaches that Alex briefly mentions on the podcast.
• Here is a link to the official PSR cap published by the Government of Canada. Some examples of the lobbying against PSR caps include the Canadian Council for Refugees and the Canadian Refugee Sponsorship Agreement Holders Association.
• Alex and Sabine discuss Danby Appliances’ CEO Jim Estill’s sponsorship and hiring of over fifty refugee families in Guelph, Ontario. You can read more about this in the article linked here.
• On the podcast, Sabine shares the inspiring story coming out of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia with regards to how the refugees who were once sponsored to the area eventually became systems of support for new incoming refugees. You can follow the community work for refugees in Haida Gwaii through one of their local newspaper’s website.

Alex speaks with Mark Koyama about the historical context and economic implications of the Manila Galleon trade, focusing on how monopolistic practices increased the risk of shipwrecks and the broader lessons for contemporary economics about the unintended consequences of monopoly power.

References

1. "Shipwrecked by Rents: The Manila Galleon Trade" by Mark Koyama, Desiderio Desideri, and Fernando Arteaga
   Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304387823001967 

2. "The Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128

3. "Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance" by Douglass C. North
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Institutions-Institutional-Change-Economic-Performance/dp/0521397340

4. "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Inquiry-Nature-Causes-Wealth-Nations/dp/1494465227

5. "The East India Company: A History" by Philip Lawson
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/East-India-Company-Philip-Lawson/dp/0582490522

6. "Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World" by Niall Ferguson
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Empire-How-Britain-Made-Modern/dp/0141007540

7. "The Rise and Fall of the Spanish Empire" by William Maltby
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Rise-Fall-Spanish-Empire-Maltby/dp/1405844874

Summary

Alex speaks with Jacob Levy about the concept of a liberal party, exploring its philosophical foundations, historical context, and touch on all of these points within the context of Jacob's article "The Liberal Party Idea" (2024).

References

1. The Liberal Party Idea by Jacob Levy:
   Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381323406_The_liberal_party_idea_and_American_ideology

2. "On Liberty" by John Stuart Mill
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Liberty-John-Stuart-Mill/dp/1505851210

3. "The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Constitution-Liberty-Friedrich-Hayek/dp/0226320847

4. "The Federalist Papers" by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Federalist-Papers-Alexander-Hamilton/dp/0486496363

5. "Reflections on the Revolution in France" by Edmund Burke
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Reflections-Revolution-France-Edmund-Burke/dp/0199539022

6. "Democracy in America" by Alexis de Tocqueville
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Democracy-America-Alexis-Tocqueville/dp/0140447601

7. "Two Treatises of Government" by John Locke
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Treatises-Government-John-Locke/dp/1532846815

8. "Political Liberalism" by John Rawls
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Political-Liberalism-John-Rawls/dp/0231130899

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.
To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

Sabine speaks with Nathan Goodman about the complexities of border control and domestic policy, focusing on how these issues intersect with libertarian philosophy, the economic implications of immigration, and the ethical considerations of state power in regulating borders.

References

"The Law of Peoples" by John Rawls
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Law-Peoples-John-Rawls/dp/0674005422

"The Machinery of Freedom" by David D. Friedman
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Machinery-Freedom-Guide-Radical-Capitalism/dp/1507785607

"Anarchy, State, and Utopia" by Robert Nozick
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Anarchy-State-Utopia-Robert-Nozick/dp/0465097200

"The Ethics of Liberty" by Murray Rothbard
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Ethics-Liberty-Murray-N-Rothbard/dp/0814775594

"Borders of Justice" edited by Todd May
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Borders-Justice-Todd-May/dp/1438433712

"Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom" by Ilya Somin
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Free-Move-Migration-Political-Freedom/dp/0190054581

"Politics in Plural Societies: A Theory of Democratic Instability" by Alvin Rabushka and Kenneth A. Shepsle
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Politics-Plural-Societies-Democratic-Instability/dp/0674686266

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.
To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

Alex speaks with Ignacio Cofone about the intricacies of privacy in the digital era, examining how personal data is collected, inferred upon, and the legal frameworks that govern these practices, as elucidated in Ignacio Cofone's book, "The Privacy Fallacy." Episode Notes:

1. "The Privacy Fallacy: Harm and Power in the Information Economy" by Ignacio Cofone
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Privacy-Fallacy-Power-Information-Economy/dp/XXXXX

2. "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism" by Shoshana Zuboff
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Age-Surveillance-Capitalism-Future-Frontier/dp/1541758005

3. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
   Link: https://gdpr.eu/

4. "Privacy and Freedom" by Alan F. Westin
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Privacy-Freedom-Alan-F-Westin/dp/XXXXX

5. "Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace" by Lawrence Lessig
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Code-Laws-Cyberspace-Lawrence-Lessig/dp/0465039146

6. "Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness" by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Nudge-Improving-Decisions-Health-Happiness/dp/014311526X

7. "The Right to Privacy" by Samuel D. Warren and Louis D. Brandeis
   Link: https://www.cs.cornell.edu/~shmat/courses/cs5436/warren-brandeis.pdf

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.
To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask

Matt speaks with Bruce Pardy about the rule of law in Canada, implications of the notwithstanding clause, the evolving interpretation of the Charter, and the balance between individual rights and state power. 

References

1. Friedrich Hayek - "The Road to Serfdom" - https://www.amazon.ca/Road-Serfdom-Fiftieth-Anniversary/dp/0226320553
   Discussed in relation to emergent order and skepticism of imposed rules.

2. Magna Carta - "The Magna Carta" - https://www.bl.uk/magna-carta
   Mentioned as a historical document marking the beginning of limiting the king's power.

3. U.S. Bill of Rights - "The Bill of Rights" - https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights
   Cited as a document that transferred power from the legislature to the courts in the American context.

4. Section 33 - The Notwithstanding Clause - "Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms" - https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/csj-sjc/rfc-dlc/ccrf-ccdl/check/art33.html
   Discussed as a controversial clause allowing legislatures to override certain rights.

5. Adam Smith - "The Wealth of Nations" - https://www.amazon.ca/Wealth-Nations-Adam-Smith/dp/1505577128
   Referenced in discussions on free markets and the role of government.

6. John Locke - "Two Treatises of Government" - https://www.amazon.ca/Two-Treatises-Government-John-Locke/dp/1507621453
   His ideas on government and individual rights were mentioned.

7. Milton Friedman - "Capitalism and Freedom" - https://www.amazon.ca/Capitalism-Freedom-Anniversary-Milton-Friedman/dp/0226264211
   Cited in discussions about the role of government in economic affairs.

Thanks

Thanks to our patrons including: Amy Willis, Kris Rondolo, and Christopher McDonald.
To become a patron, go to patreon.com/curioustask