A new article by Tara Smith, professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin and BB&T Chair for the Study of Objectivism, highlights her recent interest in the subject of religious exemptions in the law. “Religious Liberty or Religious License? Legal Schizophrenia and the Case against Exemptions,” published in the Journal of Law & Politics, “seeks to demonstrate that religious exemptions are unjustified in theory and corrosive, in practice,” according to the article’s abstract.
A new article on the value of religious freedom has been published in the Arkansas Law Review by Tara Smith, professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin and BB&T Chair for the Study of Objectivism. “What Good Is Religious Freedom? Locke, Rand, and the Non-Religious Case for Respecting It” is aimed at accounting for the source, nature and value of religious freedom.
What is the significance of Donald Trump’s election win? “Can You Love God and Ayn Rand?” What's Behind the Bullying of Vaccine-maker Pfizer? And what does society look like without a wall separating religion and state?
An insidious movement on college campuses employs the term “microaggression” to equate objectionable speech with physical force that violates another’s rights.
Today there are many threats to the individual’s right to free speech. Observe, for example, those who want to use so-called campaign finance laws to regulate and, thereby, suppress speech during political elections. Some even want to overturn Supreme Court decisions that properly recognize the free speech of organizations and corporations.
The idea of separating religion from state was a major advance in political thought, yet massively undervalued. So much so that many in the West take it for granted. Two recent articles — one about Pakistan, another about France — underscore how that idea deserves greater appreciation and strengthening.
On November 14, 2015, ARI will be at Freedom Summit Chicago 2015. Onkar Ghate, Don Watkins and Carl Svanberg will be presenting ARI’s perspective on issues like freedom of religion, immigration, inequality and educational freedom.
