Father of Our Country as an Economist
(Photo: Cliff) In his book Washington: A Life, Ron Chernow quotes a letter that speaks to the hoary economic historians’ debate about the profitability of slavery. Washington noted that in…
There are all kinds of civics-class answers to that question. But how true are they? Could it be that we like to read about war, politics, and miscellaneous heartbreak simply…
We speak with a governor, a former C.D.C. director, a pandemic forecaster, a hard-charging pharmacist, and a pair of economists — who say it’s all about the incentives. (Pandemillions, anyone?)
People who sleep better earn more money. Now all we have to do is teach everyone to sleep better.
(Photo: Cliff) In his book Washington: A Life, Ron Chernow quotes a letter that speaks to the hoary economic historians’ debate about the profitability of slavery. Washington noted that in…
Our take: maybe the steps aren’t so easy, but a program run out of a Toronto housing project has had great success in turning around kids who were headed for…
As the Supreme Court considers overturning Roe v. Wade, we look back at Steve Levitt’s controversial research on an unintended consequence of the 1973 ruling….
Keith Hennessey Keith Hennessey is the outgoing chief economic adviser to President Bush and director of the National Economic Council. When Obama takes office, Lawrence Summers will take his place….
…precedent, believe it or not, when it comes to University of Chicago economists achieving political success. Paul Douglas, a professor in the University of Chicago economics department (best known for…
…and over again, but expecting different results. Sudden Death (1983) Rob asked: “There is no free lunch” is a phrase used by economists since at least the 19th century, but…
Apparently there is nothing new under the sun. George Stigler, one of the University of Chicago’s all-time great economists, introduced the phrase “marginal deterrence” to economists in a 1970 research…
…promised for decades has finally arrived. Will it stick? Will it cut costs — and improve outcomes? We ring up two doctors and, of course, an economist to find out….
Bapu Jena was already a double threat: a doctor who is also an economist. Now he’s a podcast host too. In this sneak preview of the Freakonomics Radio Network’s newest…
People who sleep better earn more money. Now all we have to do is teach everyone to sleep better.
…ratio. The true advantage of thinking like an economist is that it can help you make better decisions: To an economist, the choice is still a no-brainer. We think you…
Is booing an act of verbal vandalism or the last true expression of democracy? And: when you drive a Prius, are you guilty of “conspicuous conservation”? This is a “mashupdate”…
Everyone agrees that massive deforestation is an environmental disaster. But most of the standard solutions — scolding the Brazilians, invoking universal morality — ignore the one solution that might actually…
Everyone agrees that massive deforestation is an environmental disaster. But most of the standard solutions — scolding the Brazilians, invoking universal morality — ignore the one solution that might actually…
What does Pride and Prejudice have to do with nuclear deterrence?…
We saw a magnificent art exhibit, The Impressionists in Paris, at the Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany. It contained paintings from all over the world, including the National Galleries in…
Sunday’s Oscar night will be different.? First, there are now ten nominees for best picture.? But perhaps more importantly,?the voting system has changed. Interested in figuring out how this changes…
Two European economists have told me of their experiences interviewing for senior, tenured positions in the U.K. In both cases they, and the other two finalists, visited the campus at…
The Washington Post profiles the omnivorous, endlessly fascinating and fascinated Tyler Cowen (best known in these parts as co-proprietor of Marginal Revolution), asking questions about ethnic food (he’s a devotee);…
Photo: dbking Last week, the Supreme Court ordered California to release at least 30,000 prisoners due to poor prison conditions caused by overcrowding. This is what economists call a “natural…
Photo: HarshLight A few days ago, I appeared on NPR Morning Edition talking about Monopoly (the game, not the market form). Until then I hadn’t thought much about the economics…
Imagine that both substances were undiscovered until today. How would we think about their relative risks?
Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson, authors of the new book Spousonomics, are seeking marital advice from economists on their blog. Their “Economists in Love” series asks amusing (yet pragmatic) questions…
…GMA piece will run in the first hour and will be a preview of Sunday’s New York Times column about NASCAR. The WNT piece will address the Freakonomics of parenting….
In Chapter 5 of Freakonomics, which explores the art and science of parenting, we pose this question: Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? It turns out…
…parenting, and gender. The book is already a New York Times best-seller; here’s more information on Stossel and the new book. I am guessing that most people who hang on…
…Of course there are obvious problems concerning both accuracy and privacy when living in a coveillance world. My kids want me to display a “How’s My Parenting?” sticker so that…
