In this episode, Matt speaks with legal scholar Bruce Pardy about the deep tension between freedom and virtue. Pardy argues that “freedom people” - classical liberals and libertarians - see virtue as something that can only emerge when individuals are free to choose, while “virtue people” believe virtue must come first, even if enforced by the state. They explore the limits of state neutrality, city planning, drug policy, and the rise of authoritarian instincts across both the right and the left. Pardy explains why a truly free society is risky - and why that risk is necessary for genuine virtue and responsibility.
References:
“Freedom and Virtue: Friends or Enemies?” — Bruce Pardy (Brownstone Institute)
https://brownstone.org/articles/freedom-and-virtue-friends-or-enemies/
Bruce Pardy — Profile (Fraser Institute)
https://www.fraserinstitute.org/profile/bruce-pardy
Bruce Pardy — Author Page (The Epoch Times)
https://www.theepochtimes.com/author/bruce-pardy
The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek
https://a.co/d/cp4rlD5
The Open Society and Its Enemies by Karl Popper
https://a.co/d/iVwmVvs
Thanks to Our Patrons including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support The Curious Task, visit: https://patreon.com/curioustask