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April 12, 2005
The answer to everything
Economics, it seems is rapidly replacing psychology, and umm, philosophy and let's see, Christianity and Buddhism and Grand Unified Theory as the Answer To Everything.
Steven D. Levitt, for instance, has run the figures and can explain to you the way human motivations work, so that you'll no longer be puzzled about why drug dealers still live with their mums, and what sumo wrestlers have in common with teachers. The world has clearly been longing to know this sort of thing, because even though it's not yet quite published, demand for Levitt's book has spiralled.
While you're waiting for it, you can discover from some other economists why the US plays baseball, and the rest of the world plays soccer - which unfortunately won't satisfy Apal's enduring question: "Why AFL?" Alternatively, you might like to know why the Kyoto protocol is inefficient and inequitable, and the precise economic value of marriage. Would you believe $US100,000?
Oh, and if you're a basketball coach, a little bit of science could be just what you need to make your opponents miss their shots.
Posted by cw at April 12, 2005 07:55 AM