Ep. 16:  Austro-Libertarian Themes in Three Prague Authors, Part 1:  KAREL ČAPEK (Roderick Long)
Channel: Agoric Cafe
Date: 2020-10-25

In Part 1 of this exclusive! expanded! three-part version of his 2019 Prague lecture, Roderick Long explores Austro-libertarian themes in the writings of Karel Čapek (1890-1938).  Topics include:  intelligent, morally ambiguous salamanders; rebellious, morally ambiguous robots; the effects on supply and demand of unleashing the Absolute; a critique of the labour theory of Labour Day; the geometrical logic of imperial expansion; why police detectives have no interest in mysteries; the merits and demerits of government theme parks devoted to the preservation of Czech folkways; the magic word by means of which the English protect their property; why God can only be a witness and never a judge; the role of clumsiness in advancing civilisation; the benefits and hazards of replacing feet with wheels; inspirational workplace posters suitable for shackled newts; how Roderick ran into one of Čapek’s robots in the lounge of the Auburn Hotel and Conference Center; and the crucifixion of Christ as a sensible protectionist measure.


Background photo credit:  
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prague_skyline_view.jpg

PowerPoint slides (as PDF):  
http://praxeology.net/RTL-Prague-authors-REVISED-fbak.pdf

Note:  contrary to what I say in the video, I believe that the R.U.R. cover designed by Čapek’s brother Josef is not the one I show there, but instead this (rather better) one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rosumovi_Univerz%C3%A1ln%C3%AD_Roboti_1920.jpg

Incidentally, Josef Čapek also designed this Kropotkin cover:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Z2EDSezcL._SX320_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

On the subject of corrections, I think it may actually have been Paul Cantor rather than Ralph Raico who was in the company of my old stage partner in the Mises conference anecdote I tell.  I’m not sure.  Jeez, my memory is crap these days.  Um, what was I saying?


Anyway, the list of links to Karel Čapek’s works, and other items mentioned in the discussion, is too long to fit in the description. So Czech them out here:

http://praxeology.net/agoric-cafe-ep16-links.htm#otherlinks