Click here for the video link on YouTube
I hope you enjoy my conversation with Professor Michael Huemer as much as I did.
If you have not read his book “The Problem of Political Authority”, you’ve missed a baseball bat to the kneecap of the State. It’s basically a take-down of every known philosophical or intellectual justification for statism. If that isn’t enough, the second part of his book explains why a stateless society based on anarcho-capitalistic principles is feasible, and indeed, superior to statism.
The general focus of the interview was the psychology of statism. But it led to so many related tangents that it can’t be summarized here. It was a fun ride with a leading advocate of freedom.
Prof. Huemer’s bio:
Michael Huemer received his BA from UC Berkeley and his PhD from Rutgers University. He is presently professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is the author of more than 90 academic articles in ethics, epistemology, political philosophy, and metaphysics, as well as about twelve brilliant and amazing books that you should immediately buy, including Knowledge, Reality, and Value (2021), Progressive Myths (2024), and Dialogues on Ethical Vegetarianism (2025).
“The Problem of Political Authority”
Here are some links to other interesting topics we covered...
Narrated story of the 20th Century Motor Company, excerpted from Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”
The Asch Conformity Experiment
...
My full, free 23-part Myth of Authority Masterclass
Since some may be new to libertarian perspectives, here is a short list of links you may find helpful. I’ve classified them based on the different ways people ponder issues:
Want to know how important things would get done without government?
Reading material: “The Machinery of Freedom” by David Friedman; for private law specifically (rather than government law) try “Legal Foundations of a Free Society” by Stephan Kinsella
Video: “The Case for Privatization, of Everything”, “Law without Government: Principles”, “Law without Government: Conflict Resolution”, “Law without Government: The Bargaining Mechanism”
Want a comprehensive overview?
Reading material: “The Voluntaryist Handbook” by Keith Knight
Video: “Anarchy 101”, “The Philosophy of Liberty”
Want to get down to the root of it, without sugar coating?
Reading material: “Anatomy of the State” by Murray Rothbard, “The Most Dangerous Superstition” by Larken Rose
Video: “The Fundamentals”, “The Whole Problem”, “The State is Too Dangerous to Tolerate”, “The Tiny Dot”
Want to focus on economics?
Reading material: “I, Pencil” by Leonard E. Read, “Economics in One Lesson” by Henry Hazlitt
Want to focus on the absurdity of politics?
Reading material: “The Problem of Political Authority” by Michael Huemer
Video: “Election Day”, “I’m Allowed to Rob You”, “If You Were King”, “The Jones Plantation”
Thanks for listening!
