Shows / Words & Numbers
Words & Numbers
Words & Numbers is one of the highest-rated economics podcasts in the world. Each episode, Antony Davies and James R. Harrigan dig into economics, political science, and current events to explain what’s actually happening and why it matters.
Episodes
- Words & Numbers
Episode 530: Who’s Gonna Win?
James and Ant predict the near-present. Who's gonna win in this hot mess of an election? They also talk a bit about who's gonna lose. 00:00 Introduction and…
- Words & Numbers
Episode 529: Ant Walks!
James and Ant talk about Ant’s long-ass walk, and what that means about how we think. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview 00:20 Elizabeth Holmes and the…
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Episode 528: Public Executions: Be Careful
Ant and James go a little further than most in discussing the death penalty as we brace ourselves for the first public execution in the US since 1936. 00:00…
- Words & Numbers
Episode 527: David Friedman Returns!
David Friedman joins us once again to discuss differing legal systems (and Renaissance fairs). 00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview 01:14 Furries…
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Episode 526: Nature Has a Normative Standard?
James and guest co-host Tom Krannawitter try to figure out (and explain) what the normative standard of nature is. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview 01:08…
- Words & Numbers
Episode 525: Athens v Berlin
James and Tom Krannawitter, who is pinch-hitting for Ant this week, discuss the differences between the Greek and German educational methods, and why we should…
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Episode 524: The Ratchet Effect
Ant and James dissect the constant involvement of government in "emergencies," which seem to happen once a decade. For some reason. 0:00 Introduction and…
- Words & Numbers
Episode 523: It’s Always 9/11
Ant and James reflect on 9/11, both the day and its legacy. 0:00 Introduction and Episode Preview 0:24 Citizens United, Super PACs, and Money in Politics 6:48…
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Episode 522: Disinteresting Rates
What's the deal with bonds and interest rates? Find out on Words & Numbers, where we will use both words and numbers to get to the bottom of things. 0:00…
- Words & Numbers
Episode 521: A Priest Walks Into a Podcast
A priest shows up. Antony doesn’t confess, James doesn’t convert, but they all talk about human dignity. Checkout Fr. James Martin, SJ 's book, 'Work in…
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Episode 520: The Death of Data
When government statistics are under question, it gets pretty hard to know what the hell is actually going on. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview 00:32…
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Episode 519: Of Course Clark is Right
Clark Neily joins us once again, this time to discuss the thorny matter of constitutional interpretation. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:26 TSA Phone…
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Episode 518: Potluck
This week Ant and James seem not to have much of a point, but that's never stopped them before, and it sure didn't stop them this week. 00:00 Introduction and…
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Episode 517: A Cornucopia of Foolishness
All foolishness all the time, with the connoisseur of foolishness himself, Wes Westmoreland. 00:00 Introduction 00:43 American Airlines Travel Horror Stories…
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Episode 516: Save Our Children! | Guest: London River
The adult entertainment industry has been sounding the alarm about the erosion of our rights for years. Adult actress London River joins us to explain. 00:00…
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Episode 515: Government’s Footprint
What do population growth rates and movement among the states have to do with one another? More than you might think. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Preview…
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Episode 514: Birthright Citizenship
Is birth enough to determine who should be a citizen? We (and the Supreme Court) weigh in. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 00:39 Disclosure Day, Spielberg…
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Episode 513: The Real Independence Day
Was July 4, 1776 the actual day of our independence from Great Britain as most Americans believe? While James is indisposed, historian Rob McDonald joins me to…
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Episode 512: What Do You Meme?
Memes are apparently unavoidable, and most of them suck. Here we talk about some of the suckiest ones. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 00:51 Japan’s Food Tax…
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Episode 511: Happy Juneteenth! | Guest: Tom Krannawitter
You should absolutely care about Juneteenth. Tom Krannawitter joins us to talk about why. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:20 Two Dan Sullivans Running in…
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Episode 510: Artificial Sanders Socialism
Ant and James change things up a bit this week by talking about a great idea from Bernie Sanders. Most of that is true. Ant and James do, in fact, talk about…
- Words & Numbers
Episode 509: The Girlfriend Experience
Why look for a girlfriend when you can just build one yourself? 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 00:38 China Influence Operations and Free Speech 05:07 Pope…
Words & NumbersEpisode 508: Insider Everything
Should insider trading be allowed? It seems like a straightforward question, so how did we end up also talking about sports betting and Polymarket? - Get the…
Words & NumbersEpisode 507: Free These People
The inimitable Matt Kibbe, of Kibbe on Liberty joins us to spill the beans. Which beans? You’ll have to listen or watch to find out. 00:00 Introduction and…
Words & NumbersEpisode 506: Where Have All The Men Gone?
What the hell is wrong with young men, and is there anything we can do to help? Max Borders joins us to diagnose the problem and offer a possible solution…
Words & NumbersEpisode 505: Owning the (Post) Libs
How did all the Post-Liberals get on the Goulash Train? And what are Post-Liberals? And what is (or more to the point, was) the Goulash Train? With guest Phil…
Words & NumbersEpisode 504: Privileges & Immunities
Privileges and/or Immunities, Necessary and/or Proper, and Cruel and/or Unusual, with guest Clark Neily. 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 00:37 Congress…
Words & NumbersEpisode 503: Is the American Dream Dead?
Is the American Dream dead? A lot of people seem to think so, and perception is reality in politics. But what do the words and numbers actually say? 00:00…
Words & NumbersEpisode 502: Us & Them
It’s not left v right, it’s us v them. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:27 AI Lawsuit and the Return of “Technology Panics” 01:04 The “Werther Effect” and…
Words & NumbersEpisode 501: Blowing Bubbles
We return after a brief hiatus to catch up on a whirlwind of recent headlines, from political drama to bizarre claims about aliens, before turning to the…
Words & NumbersEpisode 500: Goodbye & Hello
We’re not going away, but things are changing a bit. Listen to find out how. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Words & NumbersEpisode 499: Who Should Vote?
In this episode, we begin with the strange world of high-end audio, from banana wire tests to quarter-million-dollar stereo systems, and ask whether…
Words & NumbersEpisode 498: Politicians Broke Health Insurance
In this episode, we discuss the Netherlands’ proposed 36% tax on unrealized capital gains, unpacking what it means to tax wealth that exists only on paper and…
Words & NumbersEpisode 497: Electoral Nonsense
In this episode, we discuss Ireland’s decision to make its basic income program for artists permanent and what that means for government-funded creativity…
Words & NumbersEpisode 496: The Home Crisis: Here We Go Again
In this episode, we discuss the United Kingdom’s move toward judge-only trials and what the erosion of jury trials means for due process and limits on state…
Words & NumbersEpisode 495: The Mirage of Nostalgia
In this episode, we explore the strange signals people use to interpret global events, from Pentagon pizza orders and satellite data to the Big Mac Index and…
Words & NumbersEpisode 494: The Dark Ages Never Went Away
In this episode, we explore everything from missing teaspoons and land acknowledgments to capital punishment and medieval economic thinking. We examine what…
Words & NumbersEpisode 493: Principles and Preferences
In this episode, we examine proposals that would restrict or revoke U.S. citizenship, including the constitutional limits on forced renunciation, dual…
Words & NumbersEpisode 492: Show Me The Money
In this episode, we discuss why the right to an attorney remains one of the most important protections in the American legal system, using Gideon v. Wainwright…
Words & NumbersEpisode 491: Redistrict This!
In this episode, we discuss how artificial intelligence is increasingly blurring the line between assistance and deception, from using AI tools to troubleshoot…
Words & NumbersEpisode 490: We’re Not Interested
In this episode, we examine the illogic behind TSA security rules and how performative regulation often substitutes for real safety, before turning to the…
Words & NumbersEpisode 489: Better off a Loan
In this episode, we explore what it means to grant legal rights and who ultimately bears the cost when governments expand them, starting with Peru’s decision…
Words & NumbersEpisode 488: Iran, Iran So Far Away
In this episode, we challenge claims about economic stagnation by examining how interest, investing, and long-term saving actually shape wealth and retirement…
Words & NumbersEpisode 487: Is It The Economy, Stupid?
In this episode, we reflect on a rare missed recording and share a series of listener stories that raise broader questions about compassion, responsibility…
Words & NumbersEpisode 486: Slavery and Capitalism
In this episode, we discuss public distrust of politicians and the realities behind presidential approval polling before turning to the math of lotteries and…
Words & NumbersEpisode 485: R.I.P. Heritage Foundation
In this episode, we examine the realities behind universal health care by looking at Canada’s system, wait times, medical tourism, and cases where patients are…
Words & NumbersEpisode 484: Geezer Presidents
In this episode, we examine what actually counts as a victimless crime and why the term is so often misused, using examples ranging from seatbelt and helmet…
Words & NumbersEpisode 483: We Love Inequality
In this episode, we look at what happens when artificial intelligence is put in charge of real-world systems, starting with an experiment in automated pricing…
Words & NumbersEpisode 482: The Evolution of Crime
In this episode, we revisit the debate over restricting social media access for children, responding to listener feedback and examining why parental…
Words & NumbersEpisode 481: California Screamin’
In this episode, we discuss the growing role of humanoid robots in everyday life, why new technologies always reach the wealthy first, and how falling costs…
Words & NumbersEpisode 480: The War on Drugs (Continued)
In this episode, we look at the story of a young boy who found purpose working for the DC Metro and later became a transportation engineer, and we examine a…
Words & NumbersEpisode 479: The NPCs Among Us
In this episode, we look at a series of recent arrests tied to online posts, comparing Britain’s policing culture and firearms laws with American norms and…
Words & NumbersEpisode 478: No Socials for Sheila
In this episode, we examine why arts education often maintains higher standards even as liberal arts programs shrink in schools and universities, and what…
Words & NumbersEpisode 477: Your Future Self Hates You
In this episode, we open with a look at how news coverage distorts public perception of danger, from shark attacks to terrorism, and why our instincts so often…
Words & NumbersEpisode 476: Be Thankful
In this episode, we discuss the fallout from the government shutdown and how delays in federal economic data, including the Consumer Price Index and jobs…
Words & NumbersEpisode 475: American Consensus
In this episode, we discuss the firing of an FBI trainee over an LGBTQ+ flag and the broader tensions surrounding free speech, impartiality, and government…
Words & NumbersMembers: How Politics Matter For Upgrading Civilization - Join CiVL.COM
Words & Numbers Live is a members only series exclusive to CiVL.com in which Antony and James discuss politics, philosophy, and economics, and invite listeners…
Words & NumbersEpisode 474: Schoolhouse Farce
In this episode, we discuss the rising backlash to last week’s comments about Nick Fuentes, the distinction between personal judgment and deplatforming, and…
Words & NumbersEpisode 473: Blowing Bubbles
In this episode, we discuss how Meta and its algorithms shape what we see online, why the penny has finally been discontinued, and the legal and economic…
Words & NumbersEpisode 472: Trumptimism
In this episode, we examine the growing disconnect between education theory and classroom reality, as academic research drifts toward identity themes while…