Episodes

  • Why Socialists Fear the Republican Party Platform

    Why Socialists Fear the Republican Party Platform
    Jul 29 2024
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHXGamIEZ6g Podcast audio: In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss how the Republican National Convention’s platform has turned away from its traditional appeal to small government and turned instead towards adopting many of the big government policies that socialists envy. Among the topics covered: The RNC platform on energy policy, regulations, and Israel; The RNC platform on entitlement programs, industrial policy, and tariffs; The Republican Party’s unprincipled view of political and economic freedom; JD Vance as a symbol of the Republican Party’s turn away from freedom; How much the Republican Party has turned away from freedom in twelve years; The new Republican Party’s turn to collectivism and central planning. Mentioned in this podcast is the New Ideal article, “Meet the Conservative Authoritarians” by Elan Journo. The podcast premiered on July 25, 2024. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch archived podcasts here.
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    48 mins
  • The Trump Assasination Attempt and the Violent Climate of Tribalism

    The Trump Assasination Attempt and the Violent Climate of Tribalism
    Jul 22 2024
    https://youtu.be/4ivJl__LyWw Podcast audio: In this episode of New Ideal Live, Onkar Ghate, Ben Bayer and Elan Journo discuss the Trump assassination attempt and the violent climate of tribalism in our culture. Among the topics covered: The evil of using physical force to settle political disagreements; Why it’s important to comment on this event; The increasing normalization of political violence in our culture; Why it is important to discuss Trump’s failure to discourage political violence; The philosophical root of today’s climate – tribalism; How tribalism is fueled by the mixed economy and attacks on reason; Manifestations of political tribalism in responses to the assassination attempt; How tribal thinking differs from the rational pursuit of truth; The role of emotions and conspiracies in tribal thinking; How to be objective in one’s thinking about political events; Why the cause of rising tribalism is philosophical, not political; The advantages of one-on-one conversations compared to group conversations. Mentioned in the discussion are Ayn Rand’s essay “The Missing Link,” and her Ford Hall Forum lectures “Global Balkanization” and “A Nation’s Unity.” This episode was recorded on July 17, 2024. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch previous episodes here.
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Are We the Soviets? A Reply to Niall Ferguson

    Are We the Soviets? A Reply to Niall Ferguson
    Jul 15 2024
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPEzaQP0SyU&t=1s Podcast audio: In this episode of New Ideal Live, Elan Journo and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss historian Niall Ferguson’s “We’re All Soviets Now,” a viral essay about American economic and cultural decline. Among the topics covered: Ferguson’s argument that America is following the path of the late USSR; The disanalogies between America and the Soviet Union; Ferguson’s blindness to the role of ideas in his comparative analysis; How Ferguson’s doomsaying prepares the grounds for authoritarianism; How some of Ferguson’s valid criticisms misidentify root causes of American decline. The podcast premiered on July 11, 2024. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.
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    44 mins
  • Chevron Overturned

    Chevron Overturned
    Jul 8 2024
    https://youtu.be/GdlePIECjGc Podcast audio: In this episode of New Ideal Live, Onkar Ghate and Adi Dynar discuss the Supreme Court's overturning of its 1984 Chevron doctrine, which held that courts should sometimes defer to a federal agency’s interpretation of a vague law. Among the topics covered: How Chevron gave the executive branch the power to make law, thereby incentivizing the passing of vague laws; How Chevron made it harder for individuals to challenge regulations; The majority opinion’s insufficient stress on the issue of the separation of powers; Why the argument that courts lack factual expertise is a smokescreen; How the practice of deference relies on a presumption in favor of government power; The Court's failure to articulate the principle of the rule of law; Why it is unlikely that this decision will cause legal chaos. The podcast was recorded on July 3, 2024. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Has Neuroscience Debunked Free Will?: Response to Robert Sapolsky

    Has Neuroscience Debunked Free Will?: Response to Robert Sapolsky
    Jul 1 2024
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEKVbWwlqhM Podcast audio: In this episode of New Ideal, Mike Mazza responds to an episode of Neil deGrasse Tyson's StarTalk, in which neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky argues against the existence of free will. Among the topics covered: The meaning and stakes of the free will debate; Why determinists are wrong to focus on atomistic choices about preferences: How free will is established philosophically and presupposed by science. The podcast premiered on June 27, 2024. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.
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    22 mins
  • Fueling an Intellectual Movement

    Fueling an Intellectual Movement
    Jun 26 2024
    https://youtu.be/hGoQ52C0PAg Podcast audio: In this special episode of New Ideal Live, Elan Journo interviews Robert Mayhew, Tara Smith, and Greg Salmieri at the Objectivist summer conference in Anaheim, California. They celebrate the release of Smith's new book on the First Amendment and the republication of the essays in Mayhew's series on Ayn Rand's novels, discussing the importance of written content in advancing an intellectual movement. Among the topics covered: The role of books in fueling an intellectual movement; How the essay collections came about and its importance in Rand scholarship; Notable pieces from the essay collections; Celebrating Smith’s book on the First Amendment; The failures of the free speech movement; Rand’s distinctive perspective on intellectual freedom; The future of Objectivist intellectual work; Questions on pursuing an intellectual career, studying Rand, and the First Amendment. Mentioned in this podcast are Smith’s book The First Amendment: Essays on the Imperative of Intellectual Freedom and Mayhew’s essay collections on Rand’s novels. The podcast was recorded on June 16, 2024. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.
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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • Egoism Without Permission: An Interview with Tara Smith

    Egoism Without Permission: An Interview with Tara Smith
    Jun 13 2024
    https://youtu.be/LaS-oLBiRbI Podcast audio: In this episode of New Ideal Live, Elan Journo interviews Tara Smith about her new book Egoism Without Permission: The Moral Psychology of Ayn Rand’s Ethics. Among the topics covered: What Rand means (and doesn't mean) by egoism and the virtues; Why having desires and owning your emotions are crucial to having a good life, even though emotionalism is bad; Why the independent person does not seek permission for pursuing his happiness; Why self-esteem must be earned and sustained; Why self-interest means being interested in one’s values; How egoists can still fall prey to accidental sacrifices; The importance of introspection for egoism and flourishing; Smith’s message in Egoism Without Permission. Mentioned in the discussion are Tara Smith’s books Egoism Without Permission: The Moral Psychology of Ayn Rand’s Ethics and Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist and Leonard Peikoff’s Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. The podcast premiered on June 12, 2024. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.
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    53 mins
  • OCON 2024: The Pre-Game Show

    OCON 2024: The Pre-Game Show
    Jun 11 2024
    https://youtu.be/z5ptDg7iHlA Podcast audio: In this episode of New Ideal Live, Robertas Bakula interviews three of ARI's fellows to discuss their upcoming talks at Objectivist Summer Conference in Anaheim, California, which is being held from June 13 to 18. Among the topics covered: Jason Rheins’ talk “Socratic Wisdom,” concerning the value of knowing your own ignorance; Tristan de Liège’s talk “How to Value Friendship,” which will explore how the principles of Objectivism can help us deepen our friendships; Mike Mazza’s talk “Karl Popper’s Rejection of Induction,” which will address how Popper’s widely embraced philosophy of science actually undercuts the rationality of science. Virtual passes to the conference remain open for purchase through June 18. The podcast premiered on June 7, 2024. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.
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    Less than 1 minute