Tim Harford responds to Dan Ariely

Part of the debate between Tim Harford, author of "The Logic of Life", and Dan Ariely, author of "Predictably Irrational" - published via Omnivoracious

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Harford
• Ariely
• Rational
• Irrational
• Logic
• Undercover
• UndercoverEconomist
• LogicofLife
• Omnivoracious
• economics

[1gnoramus]

want proof positive that Tim Harford is bullshiting? 16 seconds in he said "the sun is shining on London."

[fielsjd]

His intuition was confirmed... by computer simulations?

[diffonyahoo]

Tim,

you wasted a lot of time for this simple question, which you eventually did ask at the end of the video. Instead of saying Dan's experiments are 'only in the lab' and so not true/practical ( which is what you suggest ), just ask how can they be applied to real life? People would have taken you more seriously then.

[MrBeumel]

I think you got some good points, as well as the other one. Good thought experiment on racism, too bad it seems not many people understood it (and i think it fits reality quite well)

[Icecoldpoker]

Computer simulations is quite the opposite of empirical.... its theoretical

[Icecoldpoker]

I dont think that proves racism - it merely shows prejudices caused by cognitive biases can infleunce decision making....

That has nothing to do with racism

[Yagmilner]

the whole "argument" between the two sides is fundamentally flawed. Economics is by its very definition the study of systems involving more factors than can be quantified and so "big picture" thinking is a must, on the other hand "facts oriented" thinking can be used to adjust the big picture. Step out of the dichotomous outlook and use the best of both.

[Tradd20]

LOL. This guy is a moron. Am I the only one that thinks so.

[timjohan]

Tim you lost to Dan Ariely

[mate6mty]

Racisim is taught ..children are not born in a chosen race.

[1980PintoMan]

Easy to disprove the statement that everything must be proven in a lab, just prove that statement in a lab. It's a self-refuting statement you don't need to waste any time on. Also, no one system can find out everything. I can make it rain literal cats and dogs in a computer simulation.

[Maoribrotha]

Of course people are irrational. It's part of our psyche and what makes us who we are as humans. And moreover, we like to defend the right to do dumb things like smoke, drive drunk, overeat and over consume etc. But more than that, markets like it, and salesmen like it. Which is why they have invented ways that trick us into buying stuff we do not need - like bottled water. And heaven forbid we start to 'nudge' people, becos the illusion of free choice is exactly what companies need!