My Cato Essays

[Brant Gaede]

That's interesting, but way over my head.

--Brant

[George H. Smith]

Podcast of "Religious Toleration Versus Religious Freedom"

This is a podcast of my first Cato Essay (Nov. 3, 2011). Podcasts of nearly all my essays, starting at the beginning, will appear weekly on the L.org site. Of the 136 essays I’ve written so far, I regard this as one of the more interesting.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

Social Laws, Part 2

Smith explains how the methodological monism of modern positivism differs from classical empiricism.

My Cato Essay #137 is now up.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

That Audacious Document: Notes on the Declaration of Independence

The podcast of my Cato Essay #2 (Nov. 8, 2011) has been posted on L.org.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

Social Laws, Part 3

Smith explores the controversy over whether sociology qualifies as an authentic science.

My Cato Essay #138 is now up.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

Was Thomas Jefferson a Plagiarist?

The L.org podcast of my Cato Essay #3 (Nov. 15, 2011) is now available.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

PODCAST

The Philosophy of the Declaration of Independence, Part 1

Smith continues his series on the Declaration of Independence by looking to the intellectual history behind its famous reference to unalienable rights.

The Libertarianism.org podcast of my Cato Essay #4 (Nov. 22, 2011) has been posted.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

Social Laws, Part 4

Smith explains Herbert Spencer’s views of the scientific status of sociology, the nature of social laws, and the practical value of social science.

My Cato Essay #139 is now up.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

The Philosophy of the Declaration of Independence: Part 2

George H. Smith examines two instances of curious wording in the Declaration of Independence.

The Podcast of my Cato Essay #5 (Nov. 29, 2011) is now available on L.org. I discuss the meaning of "self-evident" in the Declaration, and why Jefferson did not include "property" in his list of unalienable rights.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

Social Laws, Part 5

Smith discusses the value of sociology and some misconceptions of methodological individualism.

My Cato Essay #140 is now up.

Ghs

[Samson Corwell]

Social Laws, Part 5

Smith discusses the value of sociology and some misconceptions of methodological individualism.

My Cato Essay #140 is now up.

Ghs

I'm still waiting on part four of your video series.

[George H. Smith]

Social Laws, Part 5

Smith discusses the value of sociology and some misconceptions of methodological individualism.

My Cato Essay #140 is now up.

Ghs

I'm still waiting on part four of your video series.

I haven't had access to a video camera for a long time. That problem should be resolved soon, after which I will film the next 2 videos in quick succession.

Ghs

[Samson Corwell]

Social Laws, Part 5

Smith discusses the value of sociology and some misconceptions of methodological individualism.

My Cato Essay #140 is now up.

Ghs

I'm still waiting on part four of your video series.

I haven't had access to a video camera for a long time. That problem should be resolved soon, after which I will film the next 2 videos in quick succession.

Ghs

Cool. Can't wait. I think the third video's bit about "property in" was informative and should be brought to the forefront more often by libertarians to facilitate communication.

[George H. Smith]

Americans with Attitudes: Smuggling in Colonial America

George H. Smith explores America’s proud history of smuggling in the colonies—and the disastrous attempts by the British to put an end to it.

The L.org podcast of my Cato Essay #6 (Dec. 6, 2011) is now up. The anecdotes in this podcast make it one of my favorites. The letter written by an English smuggler is priceless.

Ghs

[Brant Gaede]

http://www.libertarianism.org/publications/essays/excursions/americans-attitudes-smuggling-colonial-america

"Americans with Attitudes: Smuggling in Colonial America"

My Cato Essay #6 is now up.

Ghs

[Samson Corwell]

Hey, George, do you think you could at one point do an essay on intangible property (i.e., stocks, debts, IP, electronic currency) and quasi-property? I'd be interested in seeing your thoughts on the matter.

[Brant Gaede]

Hey, George, do you think you could at one point do an essay on intangible property (i.e., stocks, debts, IP, electronic currency) and quasi-property? I'd be interested in seeing your thoughts on the matter.

Property, tangible and intangible.

Property is property. Intangible property is a complete chimera until "it" disappears from your electronic accounts. Then it becomes "intangible" until you get it restored, if you do. $100 electronically stored in your bank account is completely fungible into paper dollars in your hand. 1000 shares of stock so also stored are also completely fungible when made into paper certificates and you place them into your safe deposit box. Intangible property is merely property that does not exist.

--Brant

the matrix is upon us--the matrix is tangible

[George H. Smith]

Hey, George, do you think you could at one point do an essay on intangible property (i.e., stocks, debts, IP, electronic currency) and quasi-property? I'd be interested in seeing your thoughts on the matter.

I doubt it. Although I have views about IP in general and could put up a reasonable defense of those views, I haven't given the topic the sustained thought required to write about the controversy. Moreover, there are a number of technical matters (relating to the computer world) that would require a long time to master, and, in general, I don't feel I could contribute anything to the debate that hasn't been said before. If I had a few months to focus on IP exclusively, things might be different, but that's not feasible.

I will not write essays unless I feel I have a deep background on the subject being discussed. I abhor what I call "book report" essays, by which I mean an essay in which the writer has obviously said everything he knows about a topic, as if he prepared for writing by spending a few hours in a library. This matter of depth is difficult to pin down, but I think most readers will know what I mean. The "this is all I know about x" style of writing is fine for incidental, transitory posts, but not for serious essays.

Ghs

[Samson Corwell]

Hey, George, do you think you could at one point do an essay on intangible property (i.e., stocks, debts, IP, electronic currency) and quasi-property? I'd be interested in seeing your thoughts on the matter.

I doubt it. Although I have views about IP in general and could put up a reasonable defense of those views, I haven't given the topic the sustained thought required to write about the controversy. Moreover, there are a number of technical matters (relating to the computer world) that would require a long time to master, and, in general, I don't feel I could contribute anything to the debate that hasn't been said before. If I had a few months to focus on IP exclusively, things might be different, but that's not feasible.

I will not write essays unless I feel I have a deep background on the subject being discussed. I abhor what I call "book report" essays, by which I mean an essay in which the writer has obviously said everything he knows about a topic, as if he prepared for writing by spending a few hours in a library. This matter of depth is difficult to pin down, but I think most readers will know what I mean. The "this is all I know about x" style of writing is fine for incidental, transitory posts, but not for serious essays.

Ghs

Fair enough. I've seen many libertarians offer contracts as replacements for IP (and shitload of other stuff), but it never made sense to me.

[George H. Smith]

Social Laws, Part 6

Smith explains methodological individualism and its implications for the existence of institutions and other social phenomena.

My Cato Essay #141 is now up.

Ghs

[George H. Smith]

“Liberty and Property!” The Sons of Liberty and Resistance to the Stamp Act, Part 1

George H. Smith recounts the violent reaction to the Stamp Act, a tax on paper goods levied against the American colonies in 1765.

The L.org Podcast of my Cato Essay #7 (Dec. 13, 2011) is now available.

Ghs

[Samson Corwell]

“Liberty and Property!” The Sons of Liberty and Resistance to the Stamp Act, Part 1

George H. Smith recounts the violent reaction to the Stamp Act, a tax on paper goods levied against the American colonies in 1765.

The L.org Podcast of my Cato Essay #7 (Dec. 13, 2011) is now available.

Ghs

How central would you say the concept of property is to freedom, George? I'm someone who likes Enlightenment ideas, but I've always skipped the bits about property because they never seemed very interesting to me.

[George H. Smith]

Social Laws, Part 7

Smith discusses some controversial features of praxeology, as defended by Ludwig von Mises.

My Cato Essay #142 is now up.

Ghs

[Brant Gaede]

The official Objectivist 1960s position through Nathaniel Branden was rejection of praxeology while generally embracing von Mises. This was without elaboration. I think it was in a book review in The Objectivist Newsletter of Human Action.

--Brant

[Samson Corwell]

Social Laws, Part 7

Smith discusses some controversial features of praxeology, as defended by Ludwig von Mises.

My Cato Essay #142 is now up.

Ghs

Praxeology may have its place, but many of its distinction, such as between "government" and "the market" are just too flimsy and superficial to be of use. Not on that, but it's become a fertile soil for all sorts of nonsense.