Primal Blueprint Podcast
I discuss my new book (co-authored with ER doctor) here.
To order the book, go here.
Intelligently Designed Society
There are Christians who are scientists (I don’t want to use the term “Christian scientists” since it might confuse readers). They think that the wonder, detail, and beauty of nature in their narrow area of study provides yet even more evidence–as if more were needed!–that there is a loving God who created it all.
You’re skeptical, I know. Well let’s look at the subject matter I study: economics. Here, the economists who (generally speaking) are most worried about doing their job without violating general rules of morality–in today’s world, the free-market economists–end up seeing the market take the most ambitious and successful leaders, and making them servants of the masses.
So a Christian familiar with free-market economics can easily conclude, “God took the base instincts of man and turned them into altruistic outcomes. What man intended for greed, God turned to service.”
If you are an atheist, then add this to the list of all the crazy “coincidences” that had to occur in order for us to even be alive, pondering our existence. If, for some reason, humans had to rely on only altruism and willpower in order to make it worthwhile to brainstorm about “How do I make others happy?” we would have died out as a species.
You still think I’m grasping at straws? OK, well the most obvious candidate (though there are others) for “father of economics” was a moral philosopher who was awed by a market economy that operated “by an Invisible Hand.”
Let me put it this way: Suppose the Christian God is true. Don’t you think He could be surprised that few economists marvel that “Don’t steal” and “Don’t kill” make civilization possible and even flourish, the more people who observe them?
Contra? Positive!
(A little logic joke there for ya…)
==> Tom and I have another episode of Contra Krugman out!
==> Here’s Scott Alexander “contra Caplan” taking on Caplan’s analysis of mental illness. Incidentally, this was a great post to make me think how economists take certain things for granted when analyzing a situation. (HT2 Tyler Cowen)
Combining the Wisdom of Mises and Yogi Berra
In my latest FEE article on profit. The money excerpt:
Now here’s the important element: notice that although the high market price of gold keeps it from being wasted in over-the-top apartment decoration, there are lines of production that can profitably use gold. For example, jewelers who sell necklaces can do a similar calculation and decide, “The extra amount my customers would be willing to pay for a gold necklace rather than, say, a silver necklace justifies the extra expense of putting gold into necklaces rather than silver.”
Indeed, it has to be the case that some entrepreneur can ultimately afford to use a given resource, because otherwise its owners couldn’t make money from it. To paraphrase Yogi Berra, it wouldn’t make sense to say of a resource, Nobody uses that input anymore — it’s too expensive.
Denmark Central Bank Bask
Does anyone feel confident in sending me the data (or showing me where to get it) for the total assets held by Denmark’s central bank, by year? I think I did it on my own, but I’d like a second opinion since I’m dealing with a foreign entity.
*The Primal Prescription*
I have to run to a seminar right now–I have a job, folks–but here is Tom gushing about my new book, co-authored with ER doctor Doug McGuff.
If you want the book, go ahead and click the Amazon link from Tom’s page for now. Later I’ll do a better post here.
Potpourri
==> Tyler Cowen links to this funny story. They should print up EIN buttons. (Exorcise Inflation Now)
==> Peter Schiff on the death of his father, Irwin.
==> I call a blogging foul on Scott Sumner. Ray Lopez applauds me. (I promise I’m not Ray.)
Science Shows the Majesty (and Easter Eggs) of God
(I’m using that term in its colloquial sense.) My Bible study partner sent me this video. There are some surprises near the end, but I don’t want to spoil them. If you are a believer I think you will really enjoy this.
If you’re really an avid Free Advice fan, you might notice how this relates to my thought experiment regarding Intelligent Design, when I tried to show the absurdity of people who argued that in principle you couldn’t use observations of nature to conclude that a God existed.
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