The Uncommon Wisdom Podcast

In this episode, Larry M and I discuss his journey from alcoholism to recovery, insights and tools he gained in recovery like acceptance and gratitude, the role of a higher power in the process of recovery, and much more. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Phil and I discuss the 1619 Project, its virtues and vices, the New History of Capitalism, apply Public Choice theory to slavery, and more besides.Phil W. Magness is an economic historian whose work explores the intersection of history and political economy, including the 19th century as well as trends in the macroeconomy such as taxation, trade, and economic inequality. He works at the American Institute for Economic Research. His most recent book is The 1619 Project: A Critique. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Michael and I discuss the ethics of price gouging, the tendency of democratic capitalist societies toward cronyism, the platform economy, the distinction between directionalism and destinationism in politics, and much more.Michael C. Munger Professor of Political Science, and Director of the PPE Certificate Program. His primary research focus is on the functioning of markets, regulation, and government institutions. He is the author, most recently, of The Sharing Economy: Its Pitfalls and Promises. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I moderate a discussion between Robin Hanson (economist, George Mason University) and Agnes Callard (philosopher, The University of Chicago) and focused on the nature of asceticism on their podcast Minds Almost Meeting. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Tomas and I discuss whether the mind is just matter or something more, the contingency of religious belief, and many things philosophy besides.Tomas Bogardus is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Pepperdine University. He works mainly in metaphysics and epistemology, and is most interested in the mind-body problem and the rationality of religious belief. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Prof. Michael Beckley and I discuss China’s financial and military strength relative to the United States, why China’s rise looks exaggerated and misunderstood, and why a weaker-than-expected China may be more dangerous than a dominant China.Michael Beckley is an associate professor of political science at Tufts University and a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He is the author of Unrivaled: Why American Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower from Cornell University Press (2018). Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

On the Eve of the Anniversary of Pearl Harbor in the United States of America, I interviewed the historian Victor Davis Hanson. In this brief interview, we discuss some myths and misconceptions about World War II, largely revolving around the fact that the Axis powers were likely to lose the war from the start. The interview centers on Prof. Hanson's wonderful book, The Second World Wars: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won.Victor Davis Hanson is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution; his focus is classics and military history. Hanson received a BA in classics at the University of California, Santa Cruz (1975), was a fellow at the American School of Classical Studies, Athens (1977–78), and received his PhD in classics from Stanford University (1980).If you enjoyed this, please SUBSCRIBE. It’s FREE, with new content EVERY week. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Liz and I discuss the rationality of faith, reasons and evidence for the existence of God, whether Pascal’s Wager is a bad bet, and many other interesting topics.Liz Jackson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Ryerson University. Her main philosophical interests are in epistemology and philosophy of religion. She received her Ph.D. from the Department of Philosophy at the University of Notre DameIf you enjoyed this, please SUBSCRIBE. It’s FREE, with new content EVERY week. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Bryan and I discuss why voters are largely uninformed and irrational, the signaling theory of higher education, the case for open borders, and the role and value of failure in life.Bryan Caplan is Professor of Economics at George Mason University, and bestselling author of The Myth of the Rational Voter, The Case Against Education, and Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Chris and I discuss labor markets as markets, profit and wage motives, labor shortages, the plausibility of Universal Basic Income (UBI), and many other labor related topics. This is an especially relevant episode given the current economic climate. Chris M. Kaiser is a research assistant working on labor issues at a thinktank in Washington D.C.If you enjoyed this, please SUBSCRIBE. It’s FREE, with new content EVERY week. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe