Kinsella on Liberty Podcast: Episode 456.



[Update: see various biographical pieces on my publications page, including Alan D. Bergman, Adopting Liberty: The Stephan Kinsella Story (2025).]



This is my appearance on Adam Haman’s podcast and Youtube channel, Haman Nature (Haman Nature substack), episode HN 109, "Stephan Kinsella Expounds on Philosophy And The Life Well Lived" (recorded Feb. 6, 2025—just before the Tom Woods cruise). We discussed philosophy and rights; my legal and libertarian careers (see Adopting Liberty: The Stephan Kinsella Story), and so on.



Grok transcript and shownotes below.



Adam's Shownotes:

Adam interviews patent attorney, philosopher, legal theorist and libertarian anarchist Stephan Kinsella about his life, his works, and what's next for the great man!

00:00 – Intro.

01:21 -- Does Stephan believe there is a level of technology required for "Ancapistan" to "work".

07:42 -- Adam has issues with the "is/ought" gap and asks Stephan for help on the matter.

25:42 -- The life and times of Stephan Kinsella. Great stuff!

50:55 -- Have questions about legal careers? Reach out to Stephan with questions!

52:02 -- Outro. Thank you for watching Haman Nature!

https://youtu.be/ls82IXaxIW8?si=0RXbDIdp5FsiR3IW



Shownotes (Grok):



 





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Haman Nature Episode 109: Revised Show Notes

Aired: March 24, 2025



In this episode of Haman Nature, host Adam Haman interviews libertarian theorist and patent attorney Stephan Kinsella, marking his third or fourth appearance on the show. The discussion explores Kinsella’s views on anarcho-capitalism, libertarian legal theory, philosophy, and intellectual property (IP), intertwined with biographical insights into his life, career challenges, and intellectual evolution. The episode offers a blend of deep philosophical inquiry and personal reflection, highlighting Kinsella’s contributions to libertarian thought.

Technology and Anarcho-Capitalism

[00:00 ]



The episode begins with a discussion on whether advanced technology is required for an anarcho-capitalist society (“Ancapistan”) to succeed. Kinsella clarifies a misinterpreted comment, stating he no longer sees liberty as dependent on mass economic literacy but on cultural absorption of libertarian values, as seen after the Soviet Union’s fall. He envisions technology reducing theft incentives in a post-scarcity world, where resources are easily replicable, making state coercion ineffective. Breakthroughs like AI or Bitcoin could accelerate this, though a free society remains possible without them, emphasizing productivity and voluntary institutions.

The “Is/Ought” Gap and Objective Rights

[07:45 ]



Haman raises the “is/ought” gap, referencing Kinsella’s prior podcast on objective versus subjective rights. Kinsella argues norms must be universalizable and grounded in reality, rejecting arbitrary distinctions like race or strength. Drawing on Hoppe’s transcendental argument, he explains that peaceful discourse presupposes equality and peace, forming a foundation for libertarian norms like body ownership and homesteading. These objective rights minimize conflict and enab...