tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360814020056871156.post2462051648162075217..comments2024-03-03T13:55:46.243-08:00Comments on Ambling Along the Aqueduct: Aqueduct Goes to WisCon-- a previewTimmi Duchamphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00673465487533328661noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360814020056871156.post-46618376188604822372009-05-23T14:19:00.071-07:002009-05-23T14:19:00.071-07:00Hello, Timmi. Toward the end of the Wiscon 33 pane...Hello, Timmi. Toward the end of the Wiscon 33 panel, "The Mismeasure of Man and the Rest of Us, Too: Science, Colonialism, Genocide & SF," John H. Kim made the sharp observation that Economics pretends to be a scientific process, but is actually social behavioralism (or something to that effect). However, opinion shifted away from this idea as the open discussion fixed upon the notion that Economics is most often perceived as a Science (capitalization intended).<br /><br />I piped in at the last moment (shy creature that I am) that a popular book released recently (paperback is due out in early June) looked at the insane volatility of Wall Street as purely a product of human knee-jerk behavior rather than the consequence of verifiable, quantifiable mathematical Science. Unfortunately, I could recall neither the author nor the title of the book at the time(and hate it when that happens...).<br /><br />A quick search revealed the source -- and happily, it's a short read due to its limited focus (pardon the "shouting" format; the HTML tags are misbehaving):<br /><br />SWAY: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, by Rom and Ori Brafman (Broadway Business, 2008). Some reviewers mention it in the same breath as recent landmark titles such as Gladwell's OUTLIERS and Levitt and Dubner's FREAKONOMICS. I haven't read Gladwell's book, but Freakonomics supports John Kim's assertion that there is more Behavioral than Hard Science in the field of Economics.<br /><br />I hope you enjoyed the panel as much as I did. Nothing is more pleasurable than being in the same room as a batch of brilliant people engaged in energetic social- and scientific discourse. Except, perhaps, having to hit the library to track down the dozen-plus books recommended by panel members. (So many books, so little time!)<br /><br />Cheers! <br /><br />Carol Klees-StarksCarol Klees-Starkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02668237454101508183noreply@blogger.com