From the Editor, Fall 2008

Welcome to the now-orange-for-better-visibility-on-the-newsstands Fall 2008 issue of TOS. Here is a preview of the seven articles at hand:

My essay, “McBama vs. America,” surveys the promises of John McCain and Barack Obama, shows that these intentions are at odds with the American ideal of individual rights, demonstrates that the cause of such political aims is a particular moral philosophy (shared by McCain and Obama), and calls for Americans to repudiate that morality and to embrace instead a morality that supports the American ideal.

“The Resurgence of Big Government” by Yaron Brook identifies the cause of America’s two-decade swing to the right, explains why this cause was philosophically insufficient to sustain the movement toward capitalism, and indicates what Americans must understand if we want to resume the trek toward freedom, armed with the means to sustain it.

“The Mystical Ethics of the New Atheists” by Alan Germani examines the moral ideas of Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Richard Dawkins, exposes some curious truths about their ethics, and provides sound advice for theists and atheists alike who wish to discover and uphold a rational, secular morality.

“Mandatory Health Insurance: Wrong for Massachusetts, Wrong for America” by Paul Hsieh identifies the theory behind the Massachusetts mandatory health insurance program, exposes the program as a fiasco, explains why the theory had to fail in practice, and sheds light on the only genuine, rights-respecting means to affordable, accessible health care for Americans.

“Deeper Than Kelo: The Roots of the Property Rights Crisis” by Eric Daniels surveys the pivotal historic events that paved the way for today’s flagrant violations of property rights in America, documents the United States Supreme Court’s indifference to and complicity in the crimes in question, and indicates the solution to the crisis.

“The Menace of Pragmatism” by Tara Smith examines the nature of this widely-accepted philosophy, identifies its remarkable “essence,” surveys its disastrous implications, and provides pointers for effectively opposing this persistent philosophical problem.

“How the FDA Violates Rights and Hinders Health” by Stella Daily surveys the history, nature, and consequences of this behemoth government agency; shows that it is impractical and immoral; and indicates how, in the absence of the FDA, the free market could provide the highest possible level of drug safety and efficacy.

The books reviewed in this issue are: Mugged by Reality: The Liberation of Iraq and the Failure of Good Intentions by John Agresto (reviewed by Elan Journo); Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein (reviewed by Eric Daniels); The Terrorist Watch: Inside the Desperate Race to Stop the Next Attack by Ronald Kessler (reviewed by Joe Kroeger); The Tyranny of the Market: Why You Can’t Always Get What You Want by Joel Waldfogel (reviewed by Eric Daniels); and First into Nagasaki: The Censored Eyewitness Dispatches on Post-Atomic Japan and Its Prisoners of War by George Weller (reviewed by John David Lewis).

As always, enjoy the articles and reviews, share them with your friends, and spread the word about TOS. Everyone concerned with the future should be reading this journal today.

—Craig Biddle

About Craig Biddle

Craig is cofounder and editor of The Objective Standard, cofounder and director of education at Objective Standard Institute, and executive director of Prometheus Foundation. He is the author of Loving Life: The Morality of Self-Interest and the Facts that Support It; Rational Egoism: The Morality for Human Flourishing; and the forthcoming Moral Truths Your Parents, Preachers, and Teachers Don’t Want You to Know. He is currently working on his fourth book, “Thinking in Principles.”

View all articles by Craig Biddle →