February, 2008

That Dangerous Invention

Mike Munger quotes me as saying: “What de Jasay and so many classical liberals cannot bear is that an expansive welfare state has been supported largely because the majority of voters and politicians believe it is fair and just”. He asks: “Seriously, what kind of riposte is it that?” And he adds “65% of the […]

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Of Little Green Men and the Fairness of the Welfare State

A survey, apropos Prof. Gaus’s use of survey research on fairness:
YANKELOVICH PARTNERS, INC. SURVEY - 1997

Source: USA Today, July 7, 1997

Do you believe the government is hiding evidence of intelligent life in space?

 Yes 79%

Do you believe a UFO crashed in Roswell in 1947?

Yes 65%

Seriously, what kind […]

Read: Of Little Green Men and the Fairness of the Welfare State

The Myth of Interest

In his reply de Jasay makes two claims.
First, he claims, “The saving grace of using interest as the motive of choice is that for all its narrowness, it deals in matter that is identifiable, ascertainable and with a bit of luck even quantifiable.” There is a well-known, notorious, problem with this old view. If we employ […]

Read: The Myth of Interest