ACA Repeal/Replace: Progressives Face Moral Dilemma

[Bob Butler 54]

(09-11-2017, 05:59 AM)Eric the Green Wrote:

(09-10-2017, 11:20 AM)David Horn Wrote:

(09-10-2017, 07:14 AM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote:

(09-09-2017, 09:02 PM)Warren Dew Wrote: If you're going to understand the quantitative aspects of economics and understand how the economy actually works, you have to use algebra, and in the case of understanding Georgist land taxes, an understanding of calculus is pretty necessary as well.  If you don't think of economics in mathematical terms, you're not really using economics at all; you're just making political arguments couched in misused economic terminology.  I do understand that the left is often happy to misuse economics in this way, but the truth is, economics without math is as worthless as physics without math.

Truth there.  However an opposing Truth can be found in an old saw.  Garbage in, garbage out.

The math starts with values based assumptions.  Thus, even the pros get opposing values based results.  As long as everybody keeps making contradictory values based partisan assumptions, you are going to get contradictory values based partisan results.  Math can perhaps convince one of what one is already convinced of, but at an amateur level that’s about it.  What are you going to do, count Nobel prizes?

I try to look at the real world end results more than the math.  So long as the division of wealth favors the alligators, and likely beyond, I’ll be with the little guy.  The system is currently rigged for those who can afford to buy the best lawyers, lobbyists, media and politicians.  It is unfortunate that some are unable to see this.  As long as Main Street is humming along, Wall Street and Easy Street can take their cut and do fine.  If you forget about Main Street and optimize on how big a cut you can take, things go bad.

Sorry, but the assumption that precision is possible is flatly been disproven by the behavioral economists.  We aren't rational actors, so models will always be prone to increasing error with time.

I agree. Mathematics is fine for what it can be used for, but using it for economics is frought with limitations.

Hmm.  I guess I haven't been pushing duality lately.

There is a time and a place for mathematics, but it has limitations too.  You want to build a mathematical model, but should be aware of limitations the further you get from a hard science into a chaotic one.  I don't know how much clearer I can get than 'truth there" immediately after Warren's well done if one perspective only effort.

And this is but one example of duality in this problem.  I've often admitted leaning left, but that doesn't mean one should shut down everything coming from the right and demonize at every opportunity.  You can applaud a scientist's desire to build the accurate math based model while being careful of the partisan politician's instinct to confirm what he has already committed himself to.

But I suppose it is simpler to cling to one tight perspective than to try to understand opposites.