Homines libenter quod volunt credunt
Posted in Central Planning, Development, Entrepreneurs, Extended Order, growth, Innovation, Macroeconomics, Market Failures on May 27th, 2016
In revisiting my class discussions on the economics of public goods, I came across a paper from the OECD that incredibly I had never been aware of. One of the major results in the paper is shocking. Now the sample size, as with all cross-country analyses, is small, and there are the usual caveats about […]
Posted in Extended Order, Innovation on May 10th, 2016
Russ R. has an interesting podcast this week with Pedro Domingos on Machine Learning. Part of their discussion surrounds how knowledge intensive companies develop algorithms that either send you advertisements or help you choose things to purchase. The most common examples are the Ads that run in Google that are instantly customized to the end […]
Posted in Central Planning, Competition, Extended Order on Apr 12th, 2016
This was a really interesting article from Vox about whether we are becoming too reliant on GPS. One point that seemed spot on was that by relying on GPS and not on maps and planning (at least in conjunction with it) people’s navigational senses are dulled. I am sure you have seen other applications of […]
Posted in Classical Liberalism, ethical foundations, Extended Order, Methodology on Apr 4th, 2016
In my readings on political philosophy, even the most hard-core socialists, from the state-ownership clan to the anarcho-syndicalist-socialist clan seem to accede the fact that capitalism is “second best.” In other words, they craft a utopian vision for what a socialist world could look like, but since people are crooked, selfish, etc. then we must […]
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Environment, ethical foundations, Extended Order, Standards of Living, Ultimate Resource on Feb 15th, 2016
… I wished that people could stop for a moment to celebrate the life and contributions of people like Norman Borlaug. He is probably the greatest “farmer” of all-time, and arguably has done more good for humanity than the entire combination of leaders and rulers who have ever walked the face of this Earth. If […]
Posted in Classical Liberalism, Economic Illiteracy, ethical foundations, Extended Order, Government Thuggery, History, Immigration, Inequality, Institutions, media, Politics on Nov 24th, 2015
Of course, I will not share my thoughts at Thanksgiving … but here goes (start at 1:14 if you don’t like stories. One reason I love folk music is the stories): Please do NOT interpret this to suggest that I think this is an open and shut issue, or that there are not legitimate questions […]
Posted in Extended Order, Macroeconomics, Price System on Jul 10th, 2015
Tim Taylor talks about Keynes’ view on secular stagnation, investment and the government’s role in managing aggregate demand: Keynes begins by stating: “It seems to be agreed to-day that the maintenance of a satisfactory level of employment depends on keeping total expenditure (consumption plus investment) at the optimum figure … The problem of maintaining full […]
Posted in Adaptation, Central Planning, Disingenuous, Economic Illiteracy, Environment, ethical foundations, Extended Order, If I Really Hated the Poor ..., You Can't Have it Both Ways on May 6th, 2015
Arnold Kling shares an email get received from the higher-ups at Swarthmore College: The managers of Swarthmore College agree that climate change is the most pressing issue of our time and that Swarthmore College can — and must — play a leadership role in helping to curb the seemingly insatiable appetite for fossil fuel. That’s my […]
Posted in Central Planning, Classical Liberalism, ethical foundations, Extended Order, Methodology on Apr 25th, 2015
Here is a good summary of the modern challenges facing philanthropists. Back when we had our student group this would have been a great topic for discussion. Aside from the obvious Hayekian concerns about knowledge and planning, the philosophical question of whether unborn future people can and should have a claim on us is difficult. […]
Posted in Economic Illiteracy, Extended Order on Nov 4th, 2014
From today’s news: The WSJ reports that for profit meat companies are changing their game as they respond to shifting demand for “organic food”. A direct quote about the power of free market environmentalism; “Brandon Glenn had already gone further. Not at the behest of the government, but of a meat company for which he […]
