Alex speaks with Nimish Adhia about the practice of tipping, exploring its cultural and economic implications, as well as its persistence despite widespread criticism from various stakeholders. Adhia discusses the historical origins of tipping, its impact on workers and customers, and coordination problems that prevent its abolition, referencing his own case study on the topic.

“The Theory of Moral Sentiments” by Adam Smith

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Theory-Moral-Sentiments-Adam-Smith/dp/0143105922 

“The Strategy of Conflict” With a New Preface by the Author” by Thomas Schellin

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Strategy-Conflict-Thomas-C-Schelling/dp/0674840313 

“Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action” by Elinor Ostrom

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Governing-Commons-Evolution-Institutions-Collective/dp/1107569788 

“The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” by Malcolm Gladwell

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624 

“The Rise of Decline of Nations” by Mancur Olson

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Rise-Decline-Nations-Stagflation-Rigidities/dp/0300030797

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

Alex speaks with Erwin Dekker about the economics and public policy perspectives on art, examining various theories on how art derives its value in communities. Dekker explores the idea of the separation between art and state, discusses cultural significance and individual perception in determining the worth of art, and how art's intangible qualities challenge traditional economic valuation.

References

"Realizing the Values of Art: Making Space for Cultural Civil Society" by Erwin Dekker and Valeria Morea

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Realizing-Values-Art-Cultural-Society/dp/3031245970 

Erwin Dekker's Website
Link: https://www.erwindekker.com/ 

“Two approaches to study the value of art and culture, and the emergence of a third” by Erwin Dekker

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10824-014-9237-y 

"The Value of Culture: On the Relationship between Economics and Arts" by Arjo Klamer
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Value-Culture-Relationship-between-Economics/dp/9053562184 

"Arts and Economics: Analysis and Cultural Policy" by Bruno S. Frey
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Arts-Economics-Analysis-Cultural-Policy/dp/3540002731 

"Art and the Market: Roger Fry on Commerce in Art" by Crauford D. Goodwin
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Art-Market-Commerce-Selected-Interpretation/dp/0472109022 

"Creative Destruction: How Globalization is Changing the World’s Cultures" by Tyler Cowen
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Creative-Destruction-Globalization-Changing-Cultures/dp/0691117837 

"What Price Fame?" by Tyler Cowen
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/What-Price-Fame-Tyler-Cowen/dp/0674001559 

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

Matt speaks with Lauren Hall about "radical moderation," a framework that encourages moving beyond binary thinking in social and political issues. Hall explains her framework, which helps individuals navigate complex situations by fostering curiosity, empathy, and creative thinking. They also discuss the roles of community, parenting, and social psychology in moderating polarized views.

Episode Notes: 

“Radical Moderation” by Lauren Hall

Find more at: https://radicalmoderatesguide.substack.com 

“The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization” by Peter T. Coleman

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Way-Out-Overcome-Toxic-Polarization/dp/0231197403 

“High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out” by Amanda Ripley

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/High-Conflict-Why-Get-Trapped/dp/1982128569 

“Elements of Justice” by David Schmidtz

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Elements-Justice-David-Schmidtz/dp/0521539366 

“The Polarization Detox Challenge” by Starts With Us

Explore more at: https://startswith.us/pdc/#:~:text=Coleman%2C%20Ph.,and%20solving%20problems%20across%20differences 

“Family and the Politics of Moderation: Private Life, Public Goods, and the Rebirth of Social Individualism” by Lauren Hall

Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Science-Family-Politics-Moderation-Policies/dp/0367523267

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

Alex speaks with Elias Khalil about the influential ideas of Ibn Khaldun, delving into Khaldun's theories on the rise and fall of civilizations, the nature of political communities, and the importance of solidarity (Asabiyya). Khalil connects these insights to classical liberal thought and the works of Adam Smith, emphasizing Khaldun’s impact on understanding political order as a product of social dynamics rather than divine intervention.

1. "The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History" by Ibn Khaldun, translated by Franz Rosenthal
Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Muqaddimah-Introduction-History-Ibn-Khaldun/dp/0691166285

2. “Ibn Khaldoun and Adam Smith—Two Heroes of the Modern Age.”
https://www.adamsmithworks.org/documents/ibn-khaldoun-and-adam-smith 

3. “Ibn Khaldûn on Property Rights, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History.”
Journal of Institutional Economics, August 2007, 3:2, pp. 227-238. (It includes a long excerpt (pp. 233-238) from Ibn Khaldûn’s The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History.) http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1744137407000677

4. "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" by Adam Smith
Link: https://a.co/d/j7XuEp4

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

Matt speaks with Larry White about the principles of free banking, focusing on how competitive banking systems can operate without centralized control. Larry highlights historical examples and the theoretical frameworks supporting free banking, emphasizing the benefits of decentralized monetary systems.

1. "The Theory of Free Banking: Money Supply under Competitive Note Issue" by George A. Selgin, Foreward by Larry White
   Link: https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/white-the-theory-of-free-banking-money-supply-under-competitive-note-issue

2. "Free Banking in Britain: Theory, Experience, and Debate, 1800-1845" by Larry White
   Link: https://iea.org.uk/publications/research/free-banking-in-britain-theory-experience-and-debate-1800-1845

3. "Competition and Currency: Essays on Free Banking and Money" by Lawrence H. White
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Competition-Currency-Essays-Banking-Money/dp/0814792472

4. "Money, Bank Credit, and Economic Cycles" by Jesús Huerta de Soto
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Money-Bank-Credit-Economic-Cycles/dp/0945466390

5. "The Denationalisation of Money" by Friedrich Hayek
   Link: https://iea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Denationalisation%20of%20Money.pdf

6. "The Experience of Free Banking" by Kevin Dowd
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Experience-Banking-Kevin-Durham-University/dp/0255368305

7. "Money and the Market: Essays on Free Banking" by Kevin Dowd
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Money-Market-Essays-Free-Banking/dp/0415758424

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

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.

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.

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 Theory of Moral Sentiments" by Adam Smith
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Theory-Moral-Sentiments-Adam-Smith/dp/0143105922

5. "For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health" by Jacob Sullum
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Your-Own-Good-Anti-Smoking-Crusade/dp/0684871157

6. "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.

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: An Inquiry into the Foundations of Theoretical Psychology" 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. "Stigmergic Epistemology, Stigmergic Cognition
   Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389041707000290

7. "The Road to Serfdom: Texts and Documents -- The Definitive Edition" 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.

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 Experience of Other Developed Nations" Panel featuring Karen Davis
   Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2838163/

3. "The Healthcare Fix: Universal Insurance for All Americans" by Laurence J. Kotlikoff
   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Healthcare-Fix-Universal-Insurance-Americans/dp/0262113147

4. "Cross-Border Healthcare"
   Link: https://www.pgeu.eu/cross-border-health-care/#:~:text=The%20Cross%2DBorder%20Healthcare%20Directive,provided%20certain%20conditions%20are%20fulfilled.

5. "Analytical methods to assess the impacts of activity-based funding (ABF): a scoping review"
   Link: https://healtheconomicsreview.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13561-021-00315-1

6. "Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2022 Report" by Bacchus Barua and Mackenzie Moyer
   Link: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/waiting-your-turn-wait-times-for-health-care-in-canada-2022

7. "The Overton Window"
   Link: https://www.mackinac.org/OvertonWindow

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.

—

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.