The Soho Forum Debates

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Reason presents a libertarian-themed debate series recorded monthly before a live audience in New York City. Moderated by former Barron's Economics Editor Gene Epstein, the Soho Forum features Nobel prize winners, radical thinkers, and other public intellectuals facing off over the future of abortion, bitcoin, electric vehicles, government debt, illegal drugs, robotics, sex work, and other controversial topics.

The Soho Forum Debates


    • May 21, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 28m AVG DURATION
    • 98 EPISODES

    4.8 from 171 ratings Listeners of The Soho Forum Debates that love the show mention: dave smith, libertarian, debates, views, topics, great, gene epstein.


    Ivy Insights

    The Soho Forum Debates podcast is an exceptional source of content for those interested in exploring diverse perspectives on a wide range of topics. I initially discovered this podcast after receiving numerous recommendations, including one from Dave Smith at Part of the Problem. From my experience, I can confidently say that this podcast lives up to the hype.

    One of the best aspects of The Soho Forum Debates is the consistent adherence to libertarian philosophy. Unlike other platforms that may espouse pseudo-libertarian beliefs, this podcast remains true to its principles. The host acts as a masterful moderator, providing each side with ample opportunity to present their arguments while maintaining a respectful and balanced environment. Furthermore, the quality of debates and discussions is consistently high, thanks to the selection of knowledgeable and articulate speakers.

    The variety of topics covered in The Soho Forum Debates is another remarkable aspect. The series delves into issues that are not only relevant but also significant in our society. These debates tackle subjects that should matter to most individuals, regardless of their political leanings. It's refreshing to hear opposing views presented in a formal setting where ideas are allowed to breathe and be explored thoroughly.

    While it is challenging to find many flaws within this podcast, one potential drawback could be its exclusive focus on libertarian perspectives. While this consistency may appeal to die-hard libertarians who seek confirmation bias, it might discourage individuals seeking a broader range of perspectives or those who prefer more balanced discussions.

    In conclusion, The Soho Forum Debates podcast is a valuable resource for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of various topics through engaging debates. With its commitment to libertarian principles and thought-provoking discussions facilitated by an expert moderator, this podcast stands out among similar platforms. Whether you're looking for intellectual stimulation or seeking alternative viewpoints on important issues, The Soho Forum Debates has you covered.



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    Latest episodes from The Soho Forum Debates

    Dave Smith and Alex Nowrasteh Debate Immigration

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 104:07


    Is it consistently libertarian to support government restrictions on immigration?

    Should Libertarians Prioritize Their Own Communities?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 72:23


    Eric Brakey and Andrew Heaton debate whether libertarians should prioritize building local liberty-focused societies like the Free State Project or focus on reforming the federal government.

    Are The Palestinians Systematically Oppressed?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2025 86:53


    City University of New York professor Peter Beinart and AEI's Michael Rubin debate Israel and Palestine.

    Did the U.S. Provoke Russia's Invasion of Ukraine?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2025 110:48


    Antiwar.com's Scott Horton and The Free Press's Eli Lake debate U.S. foreign policy and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

    El Salvador's Bukele: Authoritarian or Model President?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 82:24


    Frontier magazine's Peter Gietl and Salvadoran journalist Ricardo Avelar debate the merits of Nayib Bukele's criminal justice policies.

    Was the Supreme Court Wrong About Presidential Immunity?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 115:07


    Glenn Greenwald and Elizabeth Price Foley debate Trump v. United States and its implications for presidential powers.

    Is Javier Milei Actually Improving Argentina?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 101:48


    Two Argentine pundits debate the success of Javier Milei.

    Are American Living Standards In Decline?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 100:08


    David Leonhardt and John Early debate stagnation, inequality, and how people feel about the economy.

    Are the Two Parties Any Different?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 84:14


    Two former Republican staffers, David Stockman and Stephen Moore, debate the state of the party.

    Is Donald Trump the Best Choice?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 73:43


    Famed economist Arthur Laffer debates Libertarian Party presidential candidate Chase Oliver.

    Did COVID Come From a Lab?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 93:13


    Author Matt Ridley debates virologist Stephen Goldstein on the origins of SARS-CoV-2.

    What's the Best Argument for Libertarianism?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2024 99:31


    Dennis Pratt and Gene Epstein debate the efficacy of ethical and consequentialist arguments for libertarianism.

    Debate: Austrian vs. Chicago Economics

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2024 94:11


    Economists Gene Epstein and David Friedman debate the merits of the Austrian and Chicago schools of economics.

    Glenn Greenwald and Alan Dershowitz Debate Bombing Iran

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2024


    The Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Glenn Greenwald takes on famed lawyer and author Alan Dershowitz.

    A Soho Forum Discussion of COVID with Tom Woods

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 93:11


    In lieu of the planned debate with Brent Orrell, Gene Epstein and Tom Woods discuss the prudence of COVID-related restrictions.

    Did Capitalism Fail During the Pandemic?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2024 92:22


    Columnist Joe Nocera debates Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein.

    What's the Root Cause of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 88:38


    Eli Lake of The Free Press debates author Jeremy Hammond at The Soho Forum.

    Must Government Fund Science?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2024 89:40


    AEI's Tony Mills and British biochemist Terence Kealey debate whether science needs government funding.

    Social Media Censorship and The First Amendment

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2023 91:15


    Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya debates St. John University's Kate Klonick on the federal government's role in social media censorship.

    Will AI Destroy Humanity?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2023 105:53


    Susan Schneider and Jobst Landgrebe debate the dangers of AI.

    Will Electric Cars Disappoint Environmentalists?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2023 96:29


    Mark Mills and Rosario Fortugno debate the future of electric vehicles.

    Would Anarcho-Capitalism Be a Disaster?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2023 86:05


    Yaron Brook and Bryan Caplan debate the merits of anarcho-capitalism.

    Should Libertarians Support School Choice?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2023 86:52


    Corey DeAngelis of the American Federation for Children debates libertarian author Stephan Kinsella.

    Should the U.S. Have Free Immigration?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023 101:45


    The Cato Institute's Alex Nowrasteh and attorney Francis Menton debate immigration policy.

    Is the Nonaggression Principle Incoherent?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2023 95:13


    Economists David Friedman and Gene Epstein debate how best to persuade people toward libertarianism.

    Are Libertarians Greedy and Delusional?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2023 103:15


    Law professor Andrew Koppelman and Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein debate whether libertarianism has been corrupted.

    Does The 1619 Project Have Anything To Teach Us?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2023 102:50


    Two historians go head-to-head on whether the controversial New York Times project has any value.

    Black America and Progressivism: Jason L. Riley vs. Nikhil Pal Singh

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2023 103:25


    The Manhattan Institute senior fellow and the NYU historian debate whether black Americans should move away from progressivism.

    National Divorce?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2023 79:01


    Is breaking up the U.S. a good idea? Law professor F.H. Buckley and Libertarian Party activist Jonathan Casey debate.

    Should We Abolish the Federal Reserve?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 93:57


    Economists Lawrence H. White and Frederic Mishkin debate whether the Federal Reserve should be replaced with free market institutions.

    Should Americans Value Nationalism?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2022 86:17


    National Review's Rich Lowry debates the Cato Institute's Alex Nowrasteh.

    Never Lock Down Again? Jay Bhattacharya vs. Sten Vermund

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2022 114:20


    Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya debates Yale's Sten Vermund on COVID-19 lockdowns, focused protection, and the Great Barrington Declaration.

    Is Free Market Ideology Hurting the Economy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2022 94:13


    A livestreamed debate between Binyamin Appelbaum and Gene Epstein

    Is It Time to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2022 82:26


    Author Ward Wilson advocates eliminating nuclear weapons. Defense consultant Peter Huessy says that's unrealistic.

    Does Climate Science Really Compel Us Toward Urgent Action?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2022 90:49


    Climate scientist Andrew Dessler of Texas A&M University defends urgent action on climate against scientist and author Steven Koonin.

    Will Bitcoin Demonetize Gold?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2022 85:49


    Monetary Metals CEO Keith Weiner defends the future of gold against bitcoin podcaster Pierre Rochard.

    Should the U.S. Be Arming Ukraine Against Russia?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2022 82:41


    Scott Horton vs. Cathy Young in a live debate at PorcFest, in Lancaster, New Hampshire.

    Did Prescription Opioids Cause The Overdose Epidemic?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2022 81:25


    Doctors Adriane Fugh-Berman and Jeffrey Singer debate the harms of prescription opioids

    A Feminist Debate on Sex Work

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2022 79:40


    Reason's Elizabeth Nolan Brown makes the case for legalizing sex work. Author Julie Bindel wants customers to be held criminally liable.

    Send The U.S. Military to Taiwan?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2022 77:19


    Brookings Institution senior fellow William Galston debates former State Department diplomat Peter Van Buren

    Regulate Social Media? Jonathan Haidt Debates Robby Soave

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2022 84:28


    Professor Jonathan Haidt of NYU and Reason's Robby Soave debate the harms of social media and what the government should do about it.

    Two Libertarians Debate Vaccine Mandates

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2021 84:30


    George Mason University Law Professor Ilya Somin debates Libertarian Party activist Angela McArdle

    Abolish Intellectual Property Rights?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 90:15


    Patent lawyer Stephan Kinsella debates Law Professor Richard Epstein

    U.S. Foreign Policy: Bill Kristol vs. Scott Horton

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2021 94:06


    Antiwar.com's Scott Horton takes on The Weekly Standard's founding editor, Bill Kristol

    Do Voter ID Laws Undermine the Democratic Process or Ensure Trustworthy Elections?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2021 82:49


    NYU's Eliza Sweren-Becker debates Hans von Spakovsky of The Heritage Foundation

    Is the Free State Project a Better Idea than the Libertarian Party?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2021 71:35


    The Free State Project's Jeremy Kauffmann debates the L.P.'s Angela McArdle in a Soho Forum debate.

    Does Bitcoin Have the Potential to Become a Generally Accepted Medium of Exchange?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2021 79:51


    Financial consultant John Vallis vs. George Mason University economist Lawrence H. White

    Socialism or Capitalism? A Soho Forum Debate

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2021 119:44


    Jacobin's Ben Burgis and Soho Forum's Gene Epstein debate which system better promotes freedom, equality, and prosperity.

    Is More Presidential Power Necessary in the Modern World? A Soho Forum Debate

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2021 82:27


    Stanford University's Terry Moe and the Cato Institute's Gene Healy debate giving fast-track authority to U.S. presidents.

    Should Businesses Only Focus on Shareholder Value? A Soho Forum Debate

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2021 87:14


    Ayn Rand Institute's Yaron Brook says yes, Whole Foods' John Mackey says no.

    Should the U.S. Government Adopt an Industrial Policy? A Soho Forum Debate

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2021 98:51


    American Compass Executive Director Oren Cass vs. the Cato Institute's Scott Lincicome on whether the U.S. should increase its intervention in the manufacturing industry.

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