Michael Huemer, a professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado at Boulder and author of The Problem of Political Authority: An Examination of the Right to Coerce and the Duty to Obey, explains the fallacies of the Hobbesian argument for government and discusses the problems of democracy.

Tom discusses the life of Murray Rothbard with Lew Rockwell, founder and chairman of the Mises Institute and publisher of LewRockwell.com.Check out Lew's guide "Read Rothbard" and his latest book, Against the State: An Anarcho-Capitalist Manifesto.

Eric Peters of EricPetersAutos.com talks electric cars, government regulations, and how to get the best deal on a new car.

Linda Raeder, author of John Stuart Mill and the Religion of Humanity, discusses the iconic Mill's little-known religious project.

Tom does another listener Q&A episode, discussing economics, the "perpetual union" of the Articles of Confederation, and his experiences in graduate school.

James Tooley, author of The Beautiful Tree: A Personal Journey into How the World's Poorest People Are Educating Themselves, defies the conventional wisdom about education, the poor, and the state.

Deirdre McCloskey, the author most recently of The Bourgeois Virtues and Bourgeois Dignity, explains how the West got rich.

Michael Malice, author of Dear Reader: The Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Jong Il, talks about totalitarianism in its hard and soft forms.

Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future, gives practical advice, not empty platitudes, about working for yourself and becoming successful.

Tom talks about his experiences in publishing, and what we can learn from them.