The Lyceum is holding a debate between Professor of Philosophy Nathan Schlueter and former Hillsdale College Professor of Economics Nikolai Wenzel on their political philosophies Thursday at 4 p.m. in Phillips Auditorium.
Wenzel, a libertarian, and Schlueter, a conservative, wrote and recently published a book together called “Selfish Libertarians and Socialist Conservatives?” in which they defend their respective views. It was published in November by the Stanford University Press.
Wenzel and Schlueter taught a class on the same discussion during the springs of 2010 and 2011 in which they studied several authors, including economist Friedrich Hayek, Aristotle, Catholic priest Thomas Aquinas, legal scholar Robert George, and economist Murray Rothbard. The texts and discussions from the class largely inspired the book, Schlueter said.
“We looked at the sources, as we were teaching the class, and we realized there’s no book out there that does what we’re doing here,” Schlueter said. “There are lots of little books on different elements of the debate, but there is no book that actually brings them together in a serious argument.”
The professors will explore several issues at the debate, including to what extent economic analysis can understand political reality, the scope and limits of government authority, what it means to be a citizen, if there is such a thing as the public good, and how one should approach modern policy issues like immigration, marriage, and education. The floor will be open for student questions,during the last part of the debate.
“[Schlueter and Wenzel] are both really thoughtful and intelligent scholars and professors who have really looked at both sides carefully,” Lyceum Treasurer junior Lara Forsythe said. “In writing the book together, they both had to come to grips with the other side and really study it. You can expect a very thoughtful debate.”
Wenzel said he is looking forward to returning to Hillsdale for the debate.
“Hillsdale is exactly the kind of receptive audience I look forward to talking to, and we really want to look at libertarianism and conservatism with a spirit of inquiry,” Wenzel said.
