What it's about
The Curious Task is a podcast by the Institute for Liberal Studies exploring economics, politics, philosophy, and more from a classical liberal perspective.
The name comes from FA Hayek (one of our favourite economists) who wrote that “The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.”
Each episode will feature a conversation between host Alex Aragona and a rotating cast of guests as they dive into philosophy, politics, economics, and the application of classical liberal ideas to contemporary issues.
Latest Episodes
- Ep. 76: Steve Horwitz — What Drives Progress?January 13, 2021 at 6:00 am
Alex Aragona speaks with Steve Horwitz as he explores what drives human progress, and why the market is so crucial to that.
- Ep. 75: Clark Neily — How Can America's Policing Problem Be Fixed?January 6, 2021 at 6:00 am
Alex Aragona speaks with Clark Neily as he explores the causes of America's policing problems, and policies that may fix them.
- Ep. 74: Matt Bufton and Sabine El-Chidiac — What Was 2020 Like For Liberalism?December 30, 2020 at 6:00 am
It's our 2020 roundup episode! Alex Aragona chats with Matt Bufton and Sabine El-Chidiac about topics and ideas surrounding liberalism in the past year, and choose their favourite Curious Task episodes from 2020.
- Ep. 73: Mike Tanner — Why Does Poverty Persist?December 23, 2020 at 6:00 am
Alex Aragona speaks with Mike Tanner as he explores the factors that contribute to the persistence of poverty, and different policy recommendations that can help alleviate it.
- Ep. 72: Janet Bufton — Are Libertarians Liberals?December 16, 2020 at 6:00 am
Alex Aragona speaks with Janet Bufton as she explores where and how the tenets of classical liberalism come into play for those who call themselves libertarians.