
Richard Epstein on Roman Law and Sociobiology
How and why Roman law worked, how it eventually fell apart, and sociobiology as a way to explain the foundations and limits of legal norms.
In this episode I talk with UChicago and NYU law professor Richard Epstein. Professor Epstein is a prolific legal scholar who is most famous as a classical liberal/libertarian theorist of the common law. However, as much as Epstein’s ideas are influenced by enlightenment thought and law and economics, his true love in law, as he’ll tell anyone, is Roman Law. In this episode we talk a bit about how and why Roman law worked, how it eventually fell apart, and a bit about Epstein’s interest in sociobiology as a way to explain the foundations and limits of legal norms.
Listen to the full episode on The Stationary Bandit.
Pursuit of Happiness

The Rise of Latino America
In The Rise of Latino America, Hernandez & Kotkin argue that Latinos, who are projected to become America’s largest ethnic group, are a dynamic force shaping the nation’s demographic, economic, and cultural future. Far from being a marginalized group defined by oppression, Latinos are integral to America’s story. They drive economic growth, cultural evolution, and workforce vitality. Challenges, however, including poverty, educational disparities, and restrictive policies, threaten their upward mobility. Policymakers who wish to harness Latino potential to ensure national prosperity and resilience should adopt policies that prioritize affordability, safety, and economic opportunity over ideological constraints.

The Radicalism of Harvey Mansfield
For many academics, students are mere tools to advance an agenda. Mansfield, however, is part of an older tradition that cares more about their souls.

Arthur Brooks’ Pursuit of Happiness
'The Meaning of Your Life' centers on a simple question that extends far beyond the liberal/conservative divide. Why are some people happy, and others unhappy?
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