Beginner's Thoughts

Intellectual Thinking: I

I’m launching into the immersive reading it will take to get me caught up to the political philosophy and economics types around me in this program. Given the nature of the sponsoring institution, I figured the best place to start would be with the recently distributed book, The Libertarian Primer edited by David Boaz of the Cato Institute. Before you look too askance at the title, recall that the value lies in its role as being a source book, not a collection of modern libertarian essays (or at least its value to me). No better evidence of this principle could there be than the first reading in the compendium: a selection from Samuel...yes, that Samuel, the biblical one. I look forward to getting a better handle on the principles that have given rise to libertarian thought, a process that will involve reading everyone from Innocent IV to Thomas Aquinas to Locke and Hume and just about everything before and after. While such standard names as Rand and Nozick do figure in the contents of this book, Boaz has also assembled Mary Wollstonecraft, Frederick Douglass, Lao-Tzu, and Thomas Paine. There’s a lot to be learned here and I’m looking forward to understanding at least a tenth of what is to come.

I’ll pass along thoughts on any readings that seem interesting. I promise pictures soon; I’ve noticed several other fellows with digital cameras and plan on asking to borrow one as soon as everyone forgets about the notorious “Exploding Beer” incident. Right then, more to come soon, as always.