Lars P. Syll

‘Rigorous evidence’? Yes — and totally useless! So far we have shown that for two prominent questions in the economics of education, experimental and non-experimental estimates appear to be in tension. Furthermore, experimental results across different contexts are often in tension with each other. The first tension presents policymakers with a trade-off between the internal validity of estimates from the “wrong” context, and the greater external validity of observational data analysis...

 [embedded content]

Tänkte inte på det … [h/t Jeanette Meyer]

Revealed preference and the fundamental flaws of conventional economics We must learn WHY the argument for revealed preference, which deceived Samuelson, is wrong. As per standard positivist ideas, preferences are internal to the heart and unobservable; hence they cannot be used in scientific theories. So Samuelson came up with the idea of using the observable Choices – unobservable preferences are revealed by observable choices … Yet the basic argument is wrong; one cannot eliminate the...

Keynes vs. Samuelson on models To his credit Keynes was not, in contrast to Samuelson, a formalist who was committed to mathematical economics. Keynes wanted models, but for him, building them required ‘ a vigilant observation of the actual working of our system.’ Indeed, ‘to convert a model into a quantitative formula is to destroy its usefulness as an instrument of thought.’ That conclusion can be strongly endorsed!  

Economics — still in the land of Mordor When it comes to my economics training, I’m a late bloomer. My primary training is in evolutionary theory, which I have used as a navigational guide to study many human-related topics, such as religion. But I didn’t tackle economics until 2008 … At the time I had no way to answer this question. Economic jargon mystified me—an embarrassing confession, since I am fully at home with mathematical and computer simulation models. Economists were very...

‘If you really want something, you have to be prepared to work very hard, take advantage of opportunity, and above all — never give up.’  [embedded content] [h/t Ulrika Hall]

At the age of thirty-seven  [embedded content] Still absolutely breathtakingly great!

LOGIC of science vs. METHODS of science  [embedded content]

 [embedded content]