I wanna learn more about liberty. So I joined.
Good song.
That’s cute! So, how do we start?
reading, lots of reading. Hume, Locke, J S Mill, Hayek, Adam Smith, Mises, Oakeshott, Steve Pinker, Milton Friedman, Isiah Berlin. you also need to learn basic economics, history and be up to date with current events.
I’ve taken two econ courses so far, one macro and one micro so I think my feet are at least wet in that regard.
What writings of Hume do you recommend? I own Dialogue Concerning Natural Religion and rather liked it but I don’t think that would be too relevant in this regard.
From JS Mill I’ve read On Liberty and On the Subjugation of Women. I also own and have started Capitalism and Freedom by Friedman but haven’t got around to finishing it yet.
From other fellows I’m familiar with some of their ideas but have yet to read much of their work (a few articles from Rothbard, Mises and Hayek but thats about it). What would you recommend?
Methodology and Epistemology. Understand how to determine what is the truth in the social sciences.
If you want libertarian theory Roderick T Long has an awesome 10 part lecture series here that covers almost everything. They’re really amazing, as are most things RT Long does.
Stephen Kinsella is also really good in terms of technical ability and content.
You have to remember that most of these writers are libertarians and believe in the non-aggression-principle, so if you want to get your hands on utilitarian arguments you need to go looking for them. Also learn history really really well as most of the history everyone knows is completely wrong (like about the great depression and Lincoln etc etc)
Hume: political essays
Hayek: constitution of liberty - his magnus opus, law legislation and liberty - a bit of a harder read, read the constitution first
finish off friedman. and also try to get a hold of “the limits of state action” by Wilhelm von humbolt as this was the inspiration for j s mill
Liberty in one lesson
I haven’t read the book yet. This was published today.
If you read and learn any Austrian Economics, you will find that the whole presmise is based on Liberty and freedom.
Good to have you!
What do you like? Political philosophy? History? Economics?