Life and Fate might be the greatest novel of the 20th century or maybe ever. Tyler Cowen talks about this sprawling masterpiece and its author, Vasily Grossman, with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts. The post Tyler Cowen on Life and Fate appeared first on Econlib.
Over the last 30 years, the Israeli public has moved to the right on the question of how to deal with the Palestinians. Why did this happen? How has this changed Israeli politics and the strategy of the Palestinians? Listen, as journalist Haviv Rettig Gur explores the political and military history of the last three […] The post Terrorism, Israel, and Dreams of Peace (with Haviv Rettig Gur) appeared first on Econlib.
How can we cultivate a sense of awe in our lives? Easy, says physicist and author Alan Lightman: Pay more attention. When we take the time to examine the world around us, from shooting stars to soap bubbles to everything in between, we can feel a sense of wonder and appreciation akin to spirituality. And […] The post Who Needs Miracles? On Nature and the Miraculous (with Alan Lightman) appeared first on Econlib.
After filmmaker Penny Lane decided to donate a kidney to a stranger, it took three years and a complex, often infuriating, sometimes terrifying process to make it happen. Along the way, being a filmmaker, she eventually decided to chronicle her experience and explore the question: How can a choice that seems so obvious to the […] The post Give Away a Kidney? Are You Crazy? (with filmmaker Penny Lane) appeared first on Econlib.
Why do we like sad music or that poignant feeling that comes from attending a funeral? Author Susan Cain talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about her book Bittersweet and the seductive and sometimes deeply satisfying power of melancholy. The post Susan Cain on Bittersweet and the Happiness of Melancholy appeared first on Econlib.
Housing is artificially expensive. Bryan Caplan of George Mason University and the author of Build, Baby, Build talks with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts about the causes behind high housing prices and what can be done to bring prices down. The post Why Housing Is Artificially Expensive and What Can Be Done About It (with Bryan Caplan) appeared first on Econlib.
How big a problem is misinformation for a democracy? How do we arrive at the truth? Listen as economist and author Arnold Kling talks with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts about how we should think about truth-seeking. The conversation also revisits Kling’s classic work, The Three Languages of Politics, and the relevance of its framework for the […] The post Misinformation and the Three Languages of Politics (with Arnold Kling) appeared first on Econlib.
Is tribalism destroying democracy? According to cultural psychologist Michael Morris of Columbia University, just the opposite may be the case. As he explains in his new book, Tribal, our tribal instincts can also be the source of our success–in politics, society, business, and even professional sports. Listen as Morris and EconTalk’s Russ Roberts discuss real examples of […] The post Reclaiming Tribalism (with Michael Morris) appeared first on Econlib.
Bruno Leoni (1913-1967) Friedrich Hayek credited Bruno Leoni with shaping his ideas on laws and legislation. James Buchanan said that Leoni identified problems that led to his own work on public choice. How is it possible, then, that so few of us know of the groundbreaking Italian political philosopher? Listen as Duke economist Michael Munger talks with […] The post The Underrated Bruno Leoni (with Michael Munger) appeared first on Econlib.
An owl will eat a rabbit whole, but owls can’t digest the fur or the bones. So how do they survive? Why do their eyes face forward rather than to the side? Long-eared Owls don’t have ears, so what’s up with the name and how do they hear? How can dogs help us track owls–that […] The post The Mysterious World of Owls (with Jennifer Ackerman) appeared first on Econlib.