Bryan Caplan's Blog, page 35

Pandemics and Open Borders

Does the current pandemic seal the case against open borders?  Though I foresee many readers incredulity, the correct answer is: no way.  Why not?  Key point: Borders are already about 98% closed to immigration.  As Ive explained before:

Let C=total number of immigrants legal and illegal who annually enter the U.S. under existing laws.

Let F=the total number of immigrants who would annually enter the U.S. under open borders.

Under perfectly open borders, C=F.  Under perfectly closed...

Emergency Homeschooling: A How-To Guide

Hundreds of millions of parents around the globe are suddenly homeschooling.  Ive been homeschooling my older sons for the past five years, so I predictably think Ive got valuable pedagogical advice to share.  At the same time, the emergency has suddenly doubled enrollment in my homeschool, because now Im teaching my younger two kids as well.  Now Ive got two 11th-graders, one 5th-grader, and one 2nd-grader under my wings.  Thus, despite years of experience and reflection, Im now confronting...

The Cause of What I Feel Is What I Do: How I Eliminate Pain

Over the last twenty years, I have experienced a litany of chronic pain: back pain, neck pain, foot pain, knee pain, forearm pain, and tailbone pain.  I also experienced bizarre chronic tingling on my scalp.  The good news is that I have managed to virtually eliminate every one of these problems.

Perhaps these ills would have gone away on their own, but all my experience says the opposite: Without conscious action, each of these problems would have lingered, compounded, and probably...

I Fear Stagflation and Price Controls Are Coming

Ive never seen much merit in Real Business Cycle theory.  Ive long accepted the standard Keynesian view that high unemployment is a grave evil not an optimal response to adverse conditions and that recessions are almost entirely caused by declines in Aggregate Demand.  The Great Depression was not a Great Vacation; it was a disaster caused by the fatal combination of nominal wage rigidity and falling Aggregate Demand.  Yes, Aggregate Supply matters too; indeed, Aggregate Supply is virtually...

Study Guide for The Case Against Education

The admirable Noah Blaylock has created an extremely detailed Study Guide for my The Case Against Education.  Clearly a labor of love, available free of charge.

 

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Hanson’s Strategy for Saving Life-Years

My knowledge of epidemiology is mediocre at best, but health economist Robin Hanson is the smartest person I know.  Even when hes totally wrong, he improves our thinking.  And even when he seems totally wrong, he is often right.  In the face of great outrage, Robin here suggested that deliberately exposing some people to the coronavirus could save lives.  Then he produced some simulations to confirm his intuition.  In his latest post, he refines his simulation to show that under his...

Reflections on the Leiter-Caplan Debate

It was a pleasure debating Brian Leiter last week.  The resolution, to repeat:

Social democracy is preferable to market capitalism, but ultimately America will need to move towards a socialist system.

Here are some thoughts I failed to fully articulate at the live event.  As always, Im happy to publish any reply my opponent wishes to compose.

1. To his credit, Leiter expressed zero sympathy for any actual socialist regime.  He even condemned Cuba; good for him.  But Leiter still insisted that...

Coronavirus Can-Do

What can social scientists do about corona?  Create prizes for valuable contributions.  Heres what Tyler Cowen and Mercatus are spearheading.

1. Best investigative journalism on coronavirus 50k

2. Best blog or social media tracking/analysis of the virus 100k

3. Best (justified) coronavirus policy writing 50k

4. Best effort to find a good treatment rapidly 500k, second prize 200k

5. Best innovation in social distancing 100k

6. Most important innovation or improvement for India 100k

What...

The Leiter-Caplan Socialism Debate

Last night, I debated the University of Chicagos Brian Leiter on Capitalism, Social Democracy, and Socialism at the University of Wisconsin.   Leiter wrote the precise resolution:

Social democracy is preferable to market capitalism, but ultimately America will need to move towards a socialist system.

Heres my opening statement; Ive debated Elizabeth Bruenig and John Marsh on this general topic before.

All First World countries are already social democracies.  Their governments continue to...

Leiter-Caplan Debate

Tomorrow I’m debating the University of Chicago’s Brian Leiter on “Capitalism, Social Democracy, and Socialism” at the University of Wisconsin. Open to the public.

While I plainly differ strongly with Leiter on the topic of contention, I smile upon his critique of the Orwellian “diversity and inclusion” movement, especially his efforts to get UC Berkeley sued for viewpoint discrimination.

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