Philosophy and Methodology

In less than 20 minutes David Gordon surveys Plato, Aristotle, Stoic philosopher Zeno of Citium, Frenchman Frederic Bastiat, Franz Oppenheimer, and Albert Jay Nock.

Mises University Alumnus Ray Walter, now a PhD student in physics and mathematics at the University of Arkansas, discusses his work with the Mises Institute and how it has influenced his academic career. 

The laws of physics can never be absolutely established. For some other law may prove more elegant or capable of explaining a wider range of facts. Hypotheses must be constantly tested. Economics is not like this.

"The Mises fellowship has been the single most important influence in my development as a scholar," writes Matt McCaffrey in his discussion on being an Austrian economist in academia today. "No other program could have given me the resources I needed to start my career."

Mises Daily Weekend by David Gordon: Thinkers Who Challenged the State

This essay is adapted from David Gordon’s talk at the Costa Mesa Mises Circle. Click here to register for January’s Houston Mises Circle.

While we are told today that an anarchist society is unachievable, the ancients believed such a society to be achievable but undesirable. The world would have to wait for later theorists like Bastiat and Oppenheimer, who explained the true costs of the state.

Knowing that money or gold cannot be used to provide a fixed measure of value, David Ricardo turned to the value of labor instead. But his labor theory of value has led to many errors including Marxism, land taxes, and much more.

Sure, economists can use randomized controlled trials to learn more about why some people prefer red to blue, or why we eat junk food instead of vegetables. But this tells us little about the big problems of economics.

The state now claims to be a party to every crime and claims the right to mete out punishments that have nothing to do with obtaining restitution for the victims.  Instead, criminals are "rehabilitated" at taxpayer expense.

The November issue departs from our usual format and takes a look back at 2014 with a special focus on the Mises Institute’s scholars and alumni.