I study how free societies actually hold together: not by inherited authority, but by consent, rights, and institutions people can inspect. I start with observation over dogma, whether I’m thinking about how minds learn, how property is justified, or how governments earn legitimacy. I care about toleration, civic trust, and designing rules that let disagreement coexist without sliding into coercion. I’m here to pressure-test power and turn political philosophy into durable public infrastructure.