2010

David Friedman discusses behavioral economics, arguing that it can be used to support pre-existing beliefs, and challenges readers to provide further examples.

Bryan Caplan's blog post argues that behaviorism is effective because it implicitly relies on assumptions about mental states like preferences and beliefs. via Econlib

Arnold Kling believes David Levine's new paper on economic crises and capitalist economies is an important economic theory.

David Friedman proposes a solution to state pension problems by limiting the enforceability of state contracts to the term of the current governor. This would force governors to fund pensions while in office or explore alternatives.

via Ideas

Tyler Cowen of Marginal Revolution highlights two unusual sentences found in recent news articles. via Marginal Revolution

Alex Tabarrok agrees with Bruce Schneier that closing the Washington Monument would symbolize the US government's fear of terrorism. via The source of this content is Marginal Revolution.

Garry Kasprov, a chess grandmaster himself, discusses how the implications of artificial intelligence have been misunderstood in his article The Chess Master. via The source of this content is The New York Review of Books.

Tyler Cowen links to an 1895 Kansas 8th grade exam which was brought to his attention by Chris F. Masse.

via The source of this content is Marginal Revolution.

Ideas behind their time explores innovations like experimental economics and questions why they weren't developed sooner.

Steven Landsburg, author of "The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics," wonders what percentage of men have lived to adulthood without experiencing war.

via The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics

Bryan Caplan breaks down the six "stages of libertarian denial," arguments libertarians make when faced with a problem, ranging from denying the problem to yielding on libertarian principles. via Econlib

Tyler Cowen lists books he considers impressive in a blog post from November 28, 2010, including works by Don DeLillo, Susanna Clarke, and Alice Munro. via Marginal REVOLUTION