tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post3944365380358095351..comments2024-03-27T03:00:27.024-04:00Comments on Facts & other stubborn things: The Danger of Libertarian Social EngineeringEvanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-84616944778756569582011-02-02T09:56:10.849-05:002011-02-02T09:56:10.849-05:00Excellent PostExcellent PostBrian A. Pittnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-66960889733654811632010-05-26T16:44:23.502-04:002010-05-26T16:44:23.502-04:00Ah I see. You did indeed.
I'll leave the Cal...Ah I see. You did indeed.<br /><br />I'll leave the Calvinism to Evan :)dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-74422056514685651632010-05-26T16:43:23.323-04:002010-05-26T16:43:23.323-04:00I said it was "totally unrelated" ... ki...I said it was "totally unrelated" ... kind of specific about ... just thought I would pass it on since I was about to jump back into it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-58837177495413769262010-05-26T16:24:09.474-04:002010-05-26T16:24:09.474-04:00...and I thought the Keynes convo was a non sequit......and I thought the Keynes convo was a non sequitor!<br /><br />Maybe we'll have it explained for us.dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-31482403211184670682010-05-26T16:23:20.104-04:002010-05-26T16:23:20.104-04:00I'm not sure either... I'm assuming that&#...I'm not sure either... I'm assuming that's what Gordon on Calvin is, though. And while I haven't read it, I've heard good things about it.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-82134958422062731392010-05-26T16:22:05.847-04:002010-05-26T16:22:05.847-04:00????
Oh ok... just didn't realize what the re...????<br /><br />Oh ok... just didn't realize what the relevance was.dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-38828043850270103812010-05-26T16:21:29.706-04:002010-05-26T16:21:29.706-04:00Bruce Gordon on John Calvin.Bruce Gordon on John Calvin.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-71013940062685622552010-05-26T16:20:47.119-04:002010-05-26T16:20:47.119-04:00Calvin who?Calvin who?dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-54765828837061849672010-05-26T16:18:37.498-04:002010-05-26T16:18:37.498-04:00dkuehn,
Hey, totally unrelated, if this sort of t...dkuehn,<br /><br />Hey, totally unrelated, if this sort of thing interests you, Gordon's bio of Calvin is really good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-83216025432984018822010-05-26T16:13:05.548-04:002010-05-26T16:13:05.548-04:00"No, anonymous, my point was to say that a pe..."No, anonymous, my point was to say that a person can't personally attack an anonymity."<br /><br />Sure you can. People create these placeholder identities for people they meet online - even if they are just named "anonymous." And why not? We're always trying to fit the online world into meatspace parameters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-71257610174870073452010-05-26T16:08:01.090-04:002010-05-26T16:08:01.090-04:00Evan, Welcome to the blogosphere.
No, anonymous,...<i>Evan, Welcome to the blogosphere. </i><br /><br />No, anonymous, my point was to say that a person can't personally attack an anonymity. I am disagreeing with you. Sort of making fun of your assertion, even. <i>"Exceedingly odd"</i> was a euphemism for <i>"exceedingly untenable and borderline narcissistic"</i>.<br /><br />The blogosphere and I are well-acquainted, but thanks for the kind introduction in any case.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-48904502001724813272010-05-26T16:04:02.594-04:002010-05-26T16:04:02.594-04:00"I've made defenses of Keynes elsewhere....."I've made defenses of Keynes elsewhere..."<br /><br />Never saw them; I spend large chunks of time away from blogging so as to reduce the time suckage (probably need to do that for the next two weeks). One link to a conversation would be interesting for me to see. I am truly puzzled at how anyone could consider the guy a liberal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-4126478502064189442010-05-26T15:59:22.233-04:002010-05-26T15:59:22.233-04:00Evan,
Welcome to the blogosphere.Evan,<br /><br />Welcome to the blogosphere.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-58285476086894601072010-05-26T15:57:10.559-04:002010-05-26T15:57:10.559-04:00To reiterate my earlier position, I'm simply m...To reiterate my earlier position, I'm simply making a point of this since your impression of Keynes is so bold.<br /><br />Strong claims need strong evidence to be taken seriously. I have to admit, I don't take you very seriously when it comes to Keynes. But I think you probably guessed that. I do take you seriously on questions of libertarianism, on questions of history, etc.<br /><br />I don't think I've attacked you personally, have I? I did attack Raico, I admit. Cathartic, but probably not too professional of me.<br /><br />I've made defenses of Keynes elsewhere, and since I think you read Coordination Problem and Cafe Hayek, you're probably also familiar with my take on the Keynes's German preface. I'm not rehashing that when it's completely irrelevant to this post.dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-63669747687579082042010-05-26T15:56:32.489-04:002010-05-26T15:56:32.489-04:00The idea of personally attacking an anonymity stri...The idea of personally attacking an anonymity strikes me as exceedingly odd.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-66796306336981052002010-05-26T15:53:38.812-04:002010-05-26T15:53:38.812-04:00"I suspect it's your impression of someon..."I suspect it's your impression of someone else's impression of the guy."<br /><br />You know, since I don't read cuneiform my impression of the Epic of Gilgamesh is somewhat influenced by the translator; that by itself does not invalidate my POV. Same could be said for Madame Bovary or Homer or The Master and Margarita as well - don't know French, or Iconic Greek (much less how to construct a phrase in dactylic hexameter with such) or Russian - still I think I have some relatively valid opinions about these works. Similarly, I've read bits and pieces of Keynes (the man had no gift for prose whatsoever) and what others have written about him. Not quite sure why I need more than that come to useful conclusion about the guy. <br /><br />I will note that you really haven't made any positive defense of Keynes; mostly you've been attacking me personally.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-6492888838728984342010-05-26T15:32:23.225-04:002010-05-26T15:32:23.225-04:00"That's my impression of the guy."
..."That's my impression of the guy."<br /><br />I suspect it's your impression of someone else's impression of the guy.dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-72204590210062262642010-05-26T15:31:48.467-04:002010-05-26T15:31:48.467-04:00That's my impression of the guy.That's my impression of the guy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-73333487806586883332010-05-26T15:18:20.115-04:002010-05-26T15:18:20.115-04:00RE: "The only thing I've ever finished by...RE: "The only thing I've ever finished by Keynes was his "Economic Consequences...""<br /><br />Evan and I were talking about this in private conversation - about asking you what you've read. Normally we agree that's bad practice. But anonymous, you have to realize that your claims are far to bold and self-confident for someone that is only familiar with Keynes's now rather uncontroversial assertion that "gee this whole Treaty of Versailles thing is pretty f***ed up".<br /><br />Notice that when I raise reservations about guys like Rothbard or Mises or even Hayek I try to be extremely tentative and qualified precisely because I'm the first to admit I haven't read them deeply.<br /><br />Don't stop talking about Keynes or even criticize him. But before you write something like "you have to ignore huge swaths of his thought to make him into a liberal", consider how qualified you are to make a statement like that. Presumably, someone who makes a statement like that should himself be familiar with "huge swaths of his thought" - something I in all likelihood wouldn't even claim for myself.dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-4063441569000792752010-05-26T15:10:15.909-04:002010-05-26T15:10:15.909-04:00The only thing I've ever finished by Keynes wa...The only thing I've ever finished by Keynes was his "Economic Consequences..."<br /><br />"But there's a difference between calling that out and distorting every word he ever wrote or idea he ever had."<br /><br />Keynes appears to bit like the books of the Bible ... you can dip in there and find almost anything one wants to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-20671219734783511792010-05-26T15:06:45.878-04:002010-05-26T15:06:45.878-04:00Anyonymous - again, have you read the General Theo...Anyonymous - again, have you read the General Theory?<br /><br />I can't help but get the impression that your standard for the quality of assessments of Keynes is the extent to which they badmouth him.<br /><br />Yes, he was a complicated figure. Some of his views, such as his views on eugenics, bother me quite a bit. But there's a difference between calling that out and distorting every word he ever wrote or idea he ever had.<br /><br />What by Keynes have you read yourself? Books and papers?dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-51174137403047694512010-05-26T15:03:11.785-04:002010-05-26T15:03:11.785-04:00One of the better statements about Keynes I have f...One of the better statements about Keynes I have found online:<br /><br />"Keynes was probably one of the most complex intellectual figures of the 20th century. His work is replete with contradictions. French biographer Alain Minc refers to his works as an 'alchemy of contraries.' That is probably a sounder appreciation of Keynes."<br /><br />http://www.quebecoislibre.org/09/090115-14.htm#gelbas<br /><br />It is unlikely that someone this contradictory could be a liberal.<br /><br />Yes, I am very delicate flower.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-35554184955264052542010-05-26T14:58:50.336-04:002010-05-26T14:58:50.336-04:00Anonymous - for your sake I started skimming the f...Anonymous - for your sake I started skimming the first two or three pages of Raico again.<br /><br />I have to ask you - have you ever read the General Theory? Does Raico's explanation of Keynes's relationship to classical theory and Keynes's relationship to the mercantilists seem at all... well... different from how Keynes laid out his relationship to those schools of thought in the General Theory?<br /><br />I dismiss Raico because I think he has a poor grasp either of what Keynes said, or he knew what Keynes said and is deliberately distorting it.<br /><br />Which brings me back to my question - have you read the General Theory? Because if you haven't, I'd caution against taking Raico's word on it as gospel truth.dkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-87188151952261996682010-05-26T14:55:46.438-04:002010-05-26T14:55:46.438-04:00Evan is delicate like that, though...
... as, app...Evan is delicate like that, though...<br /><br />... as, apparently, is Anonymousdkuehnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10136690886858186981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-1584557629795366602010-05-26T14:55:12.576-04:002010-05-26T14:55:12.576-04:00Yeah, I don't know what Daniel is thinking. I...Yeah, I don't know what Daniel is thinking. It threw me into a veritable swoon.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.com