Comment of the Week, 2003-05-16

Arnold Kling

By Arnold Kling, May 16 2003

On the topic of revealed preference, David Thomson writes,

Human beings are neither existentially [n]or psychologically able to endure lives of everyday indolence and unrelenting pleasure seeking.

That sounds like the introductory sentence for a thesis in behavioral economics. For conventional economists, the question is whether or not you can treat people as if they seek “everyday indolence and unrelenting pleasure seeking.”

To continue the discussion, return to the original thread.

Growth and Demographics

Arnold Kling

Steven Nyce and Syl Schieber analyze the likelihood that the size of the labor force will start to decline in many developed countries. It now appears that many of the developed economies will experience periods in which the numbers of non-elderly will decline. Moreover, in some cases, these declines will exceed the ...

May 16 2003

Fiscal Policy

Temporary Dividend Tax Cut?

Arnold Kling

Jacob Levy criticizes the Senate's proposed temporary tax cut on dividends. The arguments in favor of repealing the dividend tax have to do with removing distortions from the capital markets and from the incentives faced by corporations, and with improving tranparency in corporate accounting. Removing distortions from...

May 16 2003

Behavioral Economics

Comment of the Week, 2003-05-16

Arnold Kling

On the topic of revealed preference, David Thomson writes, Human beings are neither existentially [n]or psychologically able to endure lives of everyday indolence and unrelenting pleasure seeking. That sounds like the introductory sentence for a thesis in behavioral economics. For conventional economists, the ques...

Comment of the Week, 2003-05-16

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Growth and Demographics

Temporary Dividend Tax Cut?

Comment of the Week, 2003-05-16