2008-06-16 Meretricious claptrap

Another dismal potboiler from the underwhelming Landsburg. To my mind three quotes from the book tell you all you need to know:

page 174: "... Early in this century, the eminent economist Alfred Marshall offered this advice to his colleagues: when confronted with an economic problem, first translate into mathematics, then solve the problem, then translate back into English and burn the mathematics. I am a devotee of Marshall and frequently follow his advice ..."

If you burn the mathematics, none of your readers has a clear idea of what your assumptions and premises are - which leaves you free to adopt an arrogant, glib and superficial style that obfuscates more than it enlightens.

page 245: "... Terri Schiavo, a woman attached to a ventilator and believed to be in a permanent state of unconsciousness tantamount to death, became a cause celebre when her husband and parents could not agree on whether to unplug her. ... The Schiavo battle was over control of a resource, namely Ms. Schiavo's body, and was well within the purview of economic analysis ..."

Regarding people's bodies as an economic resource was an approach once advocated by a certain Adolf Eichmann. The Jewish Landsburg might do well to reflect soberly upon that fact.

page 19: "... The principle of comparative advantage explains why some people become medical doctors, while other, different, people go into fields (such as economics) that require at least a minimal ability to think logically ..."

It also explains why some people become economists, while other, different, people go into fields (such as mathematics) that require an exceptional ability to think logically.

I can see three uses for this book (1) It provides useful illustrations of sloppy thinking whence students may learn not to reason without an accompanying sanity check. (2) The Appendix contains references to the original literature where readers may find better-written discussions of the material. (3) Readers who follow up the original references can subsequently separate the book's 275 pages and hang them on hooks next to lavatories.

The tragedy of this book is the opportunity cost of the woodpulp that went into its production. Fortunately, however, used toilet tissue can be composted.