The framing of this does indeed sound like an accusation, and I kind of agree with Matthew Barnett that if you actually asked for “comment on the general trend”, Caplan would just respond that he thinks he’s right on all those things and that libertarianism is simply a good ideological lens.
But I totally agree that it would be great to ask for “examples of views he holds that are most inconvenient for his politics”—this seems like a generally interesting/underrated interview question!
I think any question that attempts to get at the heart of the strongest objection to a public figure’s worldview is going to sound like an accusation, because in a way it is, mostly I hope it’s taken as an ultimately good natured, curious, and productive accusation. On the point of libertarianism being a “good lens”, I mean libertarianism as a policy suggestion. I am voicing suspicion that there isn’t a plausible lens behind this policy view that generalizes so well in both philosophy and the real world that it doesn’t leave Caplan’s slate of opinions looking suspicious, but for what it’s worth my second question was basically asking him to propose one.
The framing of this does indeed sound like an accusation, and I kind of agree with Matthew Barnett that if you actually asked for “comment on the general trend”, Caplan would just respond that he thinks he’s right on all those things and that libertarianism is simply a good ideological lens.
But I totally agree that it would be great to ask for “examples of views he holds that are most inconvenient for his politics”—this seems like a generally interesting/underrated interview question!
I think any question that attempts to get at the heart of the strongest objection to a public figure’s worldview is going to sound like an accusation, because in a way it is, mostly I hope it’s taken as an ultimately good natured, curious, and productive accusation. On the point of libertarianism being a “good lens”, I mean libertarianism as a policy suggestion. I am voicing suspicion that there isn’t a plausible lens behind this policy view that generalizes so well in both philosophy and the real world that it doesn’t leave Caplan’s slate of opinions looking suspicious, but for what it’s worth my second question was basically asking him to propose one.