What is classical liberalism? | Classical Liberalism

As a moral and political philosophy, classical liberalism lays a framework for the good society.

  • The moral and political philosophy known as classical liberalism is built around a number of core concepts, including, perhaps most importantly, human dignity and individual liberty.
  • Emily Chamlee-Wright, president of the Institute for Humane Studies, introduces these two principles as forces that shape the liberal notion of justice. This applies to both individuals' treatment of others, as well as the government's treatment of individuals.
  • This just conduct contributes to the liberal ideal: the good society. By emphasizing the individual, liberalism encourages collaboration and cooperation while also offering the freedom to make choices and learn from failure.
Keep reading
government history media peace philosophy policy politics protests society speech united states

Algorithms identify repeat offenders better than judges

Can AI make better predictions about future crimes?

Image source: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock
  • A new study finds algorithmic predictions of recidivism more accurate than human authorities.
  • Researchers are trying to construct tests of such AI that accurately mirror real-world deliberations.
  • What level of reliability should we demand of AI in sentencing?
Keep reading
ai law society prison crime computers justice system

Law vs. justice: What is our duty in society?

Laws can't stand by themselves. Professor James Stoner explains why.

  • Can you divorce the rule of law from the virtue of justice? Immanuel Kant said the perfect constitution would work even among a nation of devils, provided they were intelligent devils.
  • Professor James Stoner thinks the opposite is true. The right punishments don't lead people to behave well, we are also guided to make morally good decisions by our conscience—by our internal sense of justice.
  • The ability of all people to pursue their own good is itself a kind of common good of a liberal society.
Keep reading
criminal justice justice system law government society self cooperation united states history morality

The precise meaning of emotion words is different around the world

Is the experience we call "love" felt the same in every language?

Johann Walter Bantz / Unsplash

When you can't quite put your finger on how you're feeling, don't worry — there may be a non-English word that can help you out.

Keep reading
emotions world cultures speech sociology society language

Red meat causes heart disease. Except when it doesn’t?

One study says reduce red meat consumption; another says enjoy. Which should we believe?

(Photo: PxHere)
  • A recent meta-analysis found red and processed meats increased the risk of developing heart disease by 3–7 percent.
  • The study comes just months after an infamous review claimed Americans did not need to change their meat-eating ways.
  • The problem is not scientific consensus, but how specialists analyze risk when proffering public guidelines.
Keep reading
food united states consumerism society choice health cancer public health