On Sat, Mar 11, 2006 at 09:40:50AM -0800, Kuni Tetsu wrote: > Um. That is not the sum total. Freakonomics is hardly real science, let alone > good data. Yes, I have read it. I have also read what real economists thing > about it. That is a whole other thread and I will not bring it in here.
Quoted: Being human, economists tend to envy those in their profession who achieve internal fame, but roll their eyes and mutter about those who try to communicate with non-economists. Especially galling are economists who write bestsellers (with or without help). Steven Levitt need not fear such criticisms, as his career is already quite successful and his future well-assured. He is a tenured professor at the storied economics department of the University of Chicago, and the 2003 winner of the John Bates Clark medal, biennially awarded to the nation's best young economist by the American Economics Association. Governments, politicians, and corporations routinely seek his advice. But as this book makes clear, Levitt is not your typical economic Titan. For one thing, he freely admits to mathematical deficiencies that would cripple the careers of other economists. For another, he seems to like spending time in the real world, analyzing actual problems as opposed to purely theoretical ones. Finally, he communicates those findings not only to his colleagues but to the general public. I suppose this is a bit strange for an economist, but I'm glad he does it, because someone has to. From: http://libertyunbound.com/archive/2005_07/formaini-freaky.html Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything," by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. William Morrow, 2005, 242 pages. The Dismal Science's Freaky Side? by Robert Formaini ################################################################# -- Jeff Kinz, Emergent Research, Hudson, MA. _______________________________________________ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss