Category Archives: Knowledge problem

Ideas pt.2

By Josh Weil | Published: March 1, 2010
Last post, I talked about the dangerous potential of government implemented top-down bad ideas. I think every sane person will agree that Chinese peasantry backyard steel production was clearly a horrible blunder. However, it’s not satisfactory to eliminate only the obviously foolish government programs (farm subsidies come to mind). There are high costs of government [...]
Also posted in Government Spending, education | Tagged , | 3 Comments

More on Ideas

By Josh Weil | Published: February 27, 2010
A successful implementation of an idea in a particular time and circumstance may not produce the same results elsewhere. This recognition of the indispensable role of local knowledge is critical to understanding why top down solutions are dangerous. When an unsuccessful top down solution is forced upon a people through government, the accountability feedback mechanism does not [...]
Also posted in Innovation | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Going Meta: Part 1

By Charlie Deist | Published: February 25, 2010
I’ve always suspected that I have an above-normal predisposition towards analyzing the nature my thoughts and beliefs, putting me in the company of one of my favorite philosophers, Robin Hanson. For example, ever since I began forming opinions about the way the world works, I have been obsessed with understanding why my beliefs about reality differ [...]
Also posted in Philosophy, Psychology & Behavior, Self Interest | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Ideas Lead to Tragedy in Rural India

By Charlie Deist | Published: February 24, 2010
This WSJ article offers a textbook case of a “good” idea gone wrong because of the unintended consequences. Last week, a commenter on this blog defended the Federal government’s early involvement in agriculture: “As for agriculture, again, you don’t seem to understand either history or the functioning of free markets. Making recommendations about what to plant [...]
Also posted in Unintended Consequences | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Priori Knowledge and Mises

By Josh Weil | Published: February 2, 2010
“Conflict Begets Change” – Creative writing failure that Charlie found in Dwinelle I already know conflict begets change by a priori knowledge. Conflict disrupts things, whether they be tangible or interpersonal connections. A system disrupted will change, either in the short or long term. I’ve begun my journey into the ideas and writings of Ludwig Von Mises, [...]
Also posted in Freedom | Leave a comment

Haitian Charity

By Josh Weil | Published: January 20, 2010
It is not always the best thing to increase the funding of something. Not when there are more efficient alternatives for your resources, or long term unintended consequences. In a somewhat controversial blog post, Felix Simon argues that at this point you should donate to general emergency-relief funds instead of to Haiti. I’m sympathetic to Simon’s information [...]
Also posted in Unintended Consequences | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Snakes on a Plane

By Josh Weil | Published: January 5, 2010
Almost as far-fetched as the premise of snakes being used as a weapon to take down a plane is the premise of blogging on one. Yet, thanks to my commercial friends at Virgin Atlantic and Google, I do the unthinkable. I utilize the free wi-fi and blog while traveling over (…looks out window) snow-capped mountains. With [...]
Posted in Knowledge problem | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What is a Job?

By Charlie Deist | Published: December 5, 2009
Donald Boudreaux is a modern day Frederic Bastiat. He shines a bright light of economic education in the shadowiest corners of the media. In a recent post he illuminates the truth behind the common misconception that politicians create jobs. At best, this is a very misleading statement. As Boudreaux points out,  in a free-market, a [...]
Also posted in Government Spending | 1 Comment

Obama the Green Entrepreneur

By Josh Weil | Published: December 3, 2009
“The Great Green Hope for lifting America’s economy is not looking so robust. President Obama both during his campaign and in his first year in office, has promoted the promise of new jobs in cutting-edge, nonpolluting industries, and such green jobs will be a major issue at his jobs “summit” meeting Thursday. But, increasingly, skeptics who point to [...]
Also posted in Government Spending, Innovation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Jimmy Wales is Coming to Berkeley: “Welcome to the New World”

By Josh Weil | Published: December 1, 2009
Now this is a speaker event I can get behind. Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, is coming to UC Berkeley December 5th to, “describe the history and global impact of Wikipedia and share his perspectives on current and future trends on the Internet.” The talk is free of charge and will take place from 6:30-8:30 in [...]
Also posted in Berkeley | Tagged , , | Leave a comment