Wolfers research interests include labor economics, macroeconomics, political economy, social policy, law and economics, and behavioral economics. Pdf gettysburg the legalization of tourism in that drove its publication, 2009. Andrew leigh and justin wolfers, abortion and crime, aq. Mulligan, koleman strumpf, justin wolfers and seminar participants at the royal economic society annual conference and university of californiaberkeley for helpful discussions and comments. Justin wolfers, author at freakonomics page 3 of 23. The economists guide to parenting freakonomics freakonomics. If student loans might be forgiven, why not borrow more. Although space limitations precludes publication of the comments in this volume, each of the chapters has benefited from the discussants criticisms and suggestions, some of which stand as original contributions. Bookmakers are not gamblers they want to make money on every bet.
Review those who love to pontificate, unconstrained by data, about the nature of human evil, will hate this book. The effect of legalized abortion on crime also the donohuelevitt hypothesis is a hypothesized controversial reduction in crime in the decades following the legalization of abortion, as a result of fewer children at the highest risk of committing crime being born due to the availability of the procedure. The theory that less choice can be more what psychologist barry schwartz called the paradox of choice is under attack as scientific hogwash. The supreme court looked at death penalty as deterrent arguments before ruling to reaffirm its constitutionality in baze v. Economists and sociologists have also advanced this argument in other outlets. So we asked freakonomics contributor justin wolfers what he thought of the idea.
Over at the new york times freakonomics blog, justin wolfers gets into the march madness spirit by reporting on a study of basketball games that. It may not be obvious at first glance, but its a remarkable graph, even if you dont give a fig about cricket, or even about sport. Moreover, as reported on the freakonomics web site, the book has garnered a large international audience, and the book is on various best of lists. Usually i like justin wolfers, but his comments reveal that he is horribly uninformed. A rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything by steven d.
It takes on corruption, murder, and civil wars, and shows us, step by step, how economic methods, creatively used, can help us find relevant data in unexpected places, data that makes it. But this time, the biggest payroll tax cut is only for firms raising their payrolls. It was published on april 12, 2005 by william morrow. The biggest problem with a payroll tax is that firms get it even for employees already on the books.
He is widely known for his writings on effect of legalized abortion on crime and for his criticism of john lotts book more guns, less crime. Radio radio archive subscribe on the radio the team books freakonomics superfreakonomics think like a freak when to rob a bank lectures about extras tell me something i dont know question of the day footy for two freakonomics. Rather than clicking, many urls below that span multiple lines must be. Freakonomics a rogue economist explores the hidden side of. Take this recent post by arnold kling on the causes of inequality, where he says. Dubner claimed that the results of lotts research in more guns, less. If freakonomics was able to receive a ny times blogger section, so shall the times with. In what may be the strangest passage of freakonomics, levitt and dubner invoke the example of romania. Justin wolfers, who is excellent value for money, out into broader public circulation. Both are fine articles, its just that they now read a bit like economic history. Justin wolfers attended james ruse agricultural high school 19851990. Photo essay he and research papers, essays and normative economics a book of human experience. George stigler once observed that economists objections are so predictable, we would be.
You know that publication lags are too long when the latest edition of the journal of the european economic association just landed on my desk, and the two lead articles are about increased economic stability and the great moderation. Sad suspicions about scores in basketball new york times. The book has been described as melding pop culture with economics. David berri and martin schmidt have written a very interesting book called stumbling on wins. Review published in the economic record, vol 85, no 268, pp109110. Teams who are ahead win more frequently scienceblogs. Proponents argue that the availability of abortion resulted in fewer births of children at the highest risk of committing crime. Deirdre macken national bureau of economic research. I think that betsey stevenson justin wolfers marriages are another big factor. Betsey stevenson recently learned that the labor and employment relations association is awarding her the john dunlop scholar award, typically awarded to a labor economist in the first decade. Justin wolfers, and many others, and you get a dizzying collection of anec.
A complete guide to life, death and misadventure simon w. The murky evidence for and against the death penalty as deterrence. The following graph is a histogram of the cricket batting average of all the people whove played cricket for their country 1. It was published on april 12, 2005, by william morrow. Two economists expose the pitfalls on the road to victory in professional sports. In fact, wolfers contributes to the blog of the same name thats part of the new york times website.
The contradictions of polygyny, by peter frost the unz. There was an interesting article by justin wolfers on the freakonomics blog called puzzling over the invisible economy, about the difference between digital presents and physical presents we don. In the book freakonomics, levitt and coauthor stephen j. Donohue iii is a law professor, economist, and the c. The hidden side of everything in which the book s central idea is set forth. The book is a collection of economic articles written by levitt, an expert who has already gained a reputation for applying economic theory to diverse subjects not usually covered by traditional economists. In freakonomics, levitt and dubner argue that economics is, at root. Morris, sudhir venkatesh, justin wolfers and others. Dubner, who was researching a book about the psychology of money, had lately been interviewing. The effect of legalized abortion on crime also the donohuelevitt hypothesis is a controversial hypothesis about the reduction in crime in the decades following the legalization of abortion. The murky evidence for and against the death penalty as. Freakonomics a rogue economist explores the hidden. The first freakonomics book was a best of from people who seemed to have, in perfectly good faith, come up with some explanations of common phenomena which.
Justin wolfers, author at freakonomics page 12 of 23. A rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything is the debut. The earliest research suggesting such an effect was a 1966 study in sweden. When your coauthor is your colleague and also your significant other, confusion often follows.
Douglas, it important history of noted french economist steven d. Justin wolfers, freakonomics blog smart and eminently readable. Early analyses have yet to realize how important this is. Freakonomics project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Justin wolfers, author at freakonomics page of 23. Dubner contents an explanatory note in which the origins of this book are clarified. The freakonomics blog ended its association with the new york times on march 1, 2011. Third, he notes that a successful campaign to cancel student debt will encourage further wasteful lobbying for transfers. Wolfers moved to the university of michigan as professor of economics and public policy beginning in fall 2012 with his partner, fellow economist betsey stevenson. Justin wolfers, associate professor of business and public policy, the wharton school, university of pennsylvania. Freakonomics, would i be well advised to read the logic of life. In freakonomics, levitt and dubner argue that economics is, at root, the.
Justin wolfers, author at freakonomics page 7 of 23. The most aggressively revised section of the book is the beginning of chapter 2, which tells the story of one mans crusade against the ku klux klan. Second, wolfers points out that debt cancellation doesnt make college more affordable because its a transfer to people who already went to school and who are already enjoying the returns on their investment. Wolfers, a blond ponytailed australian, calls himself part of a new generation of forensic economists researchers who sift through data to look for patterns of cheating that otherwise go unnoticed. Parentonomics brings a thoughtprovoking and sometimes laughoutloud perspective to the challenges faced by every mother and father. Justin wolfers is an australianborn professor at wharton. Among the recurrent guest bloggers on the freakonomics blog are ian ayres, daniel hamermesh, eric a. Justin wolfers, author at freakonomics page 2 of 23. I have actually stopped buying all books because im so torn on this ebook vs regular book. The book is a deadset page turner, and theres nothing more fun than feeling like you are next to them as they travel the world in search of the scoundrels responsible for so much suffering. I assumed freakonomics would be a book that used statistics to debunk various societal hysterias and fearmongering in a semihumorous way.
Freakonomics blog, 6152009 quantifying the nightmare scenarios, freakonomics blog, 312009 experimental betting markets and the 2004 presidential election, economists voice, 10122004 with justin wolfers the furor over terrorism futures, oped in washington post, 7312003 with justin wolfers consulting experience. Political scientists arent going to like this book, because it portrays politics as it is actually lived by the candidates, their staff and the press, which is to say a messy, sweaty, ugly, arduous competition between flawed human beings a universe away from numbers and probabilities and theories. Parentonomics challenges conventional parenting by applying economic theories to the messy reality of raising kids. I cant tell whether im writing this as a very proud significantother, a jealous coauthor, or a pleased colleague, but whatever it is, i cant resist passing on some good news. I quickly realized what i was in for when early in the book when the authors gave their background as harvard jews. He is noted for his research on happiness and its relation to income.
This book addresses the economics of beauty, but more importantly, it reveals the beauty of economics. Dubner, who was researching a book about the psychology of money, had lately been. Justin wolfers, university of pennsylvania and brookings institution beauty pays is provocative and informative. A rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything is the debut nonfiction book by university of chicago economist steven levitt and new york times journalist stephen j. Justin wolfers, author at freakonomics page 15 of 23. It is these critics, however unheralded, who appear to have the stronger case. She was slowly disappearing into some kind of darkness a new book by greta thunbergs mother reveals the reality of family life during her daughters transformation from bullied teenager to climate icon by malena ernman when i was pregnant with greta, and working in germany. Justin wolfers, author at freakonomics freakonomics. Freakonomics freakonomics a rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything steven d. Justin wolfers and betsey stevenson with the beguiling matilda sloan wolfers the only child to appear in our radio show courtesy of sarah.
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