Bob Murphy

Author Archive

Ricky Gervais Tweets Atheism

I realize it would be more scholarly to discuss Aquinas, but sometimes it’s fun to engage the popular culture. Consider this the theological analog of me critiquing the State of the Union address. A bunch of my Facebook Friends thought this was hilarious and deep: A Christian telling an Atheist they will burn in Hell […]

The U.S. Situation and Danny’s Song

So far everyone has been nonplussed by this.

Keynesian Bask

I want to figure out how much a standard Keynesian thinks that holding interest rates 0.5 percentage points too high, will increase unemployment (in percentage terms). For example, suppose a recession hits and that a Keynesian thinks full employment requires the Fed to set interest rates at 2 percent, but instead the Fed for some […]

Murphy Twin Spin

==> Even I was surprised by how quickly (36 days) Jerry Taylor put a non-revenue-neutral carbon tax back on the political table, after he had just issued a study assuring conservatives that no such animal existed. ==> At Mises CA, I complain about an anti-import bumper sticker I saw in the parking lot. Hijinx ensue.

The Market for Parenthood

I wrote a FEE piece responding to Abigail Hall’s argument for allowing cash payments in the adoption market, and I tackle Gene Callahan’s objection. An excerpt: Right now, some human beings have the legal status of parenthood vis-à-vis other human beings. Right now, it is perfectly legal to transfer that status to another willing party. […]

Spiritual Life Is Real Life

Lately on his blog Gene Callahan has been lamenting the free-market economist’s tendency to reduce all human choices to economic ones. First Gene was horrified at a recent argument in defense of allowing monetary payments for adoption, but then Gene switched his target to this passage from Mises in Human Action: “All human values are […]

Bernanke the Consultant

Reuters explains Ben Bernanke’s new gig: Former Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke is joining bond giant Pimco as a senior adviser, as the firm seeks to bolster its star power following the departure of co-founder Bill Gross. The move may be questioned by some competitors who had criticized the Fed during Bernanke’s reign for being […]

Potpourri

==> Benjamin Zycher has an interesting reaction to a (pro-)carbon tax event that some of his colleagues at AEI recently hosted. ==> My colleagues at IER put together this interesting post on oil and gas production on federal versus other lands. ==> Phil Magness on the alleged misrepresentation of the “Austrian” School. ==> At Mises […]