Afterthought: "Undue inducement" January 25, 2009
Posted by tomflesher in Uncategorized.Tags: bioethics, ethics, microeconomics, organ donation, price theory
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In the previous post, I mentioned the Singapore government’s fear that too high a level of compensation for kidneys would provide an “undue inducement” for a citizen to sell a kidney. I assume this means that the government doesn’t want to set a price so high that it will cause an unethically high influence on a person’s decision to donate an organ.
In microeconomics as we know it, however, the market-clearing price of a widget is the point at which its supply curve intersects its demand curve – that is, the price where suppliers want to sell exactly as many widgets as customers want to buy. Price theory doesn’t take ethics into account. From the academic standpoint, it’s impossible for a price to be an undue inducement because price is based on the indifference point of the supplier.
Can a price be an unethical inducement to action? How can that be determined? Is it right, ethically, to set price controls under certain circumstances?
The Market for Kidneys in Singapore January 25, 2009
Posted by tomflesher in Uncategorized.Tags: bioethics, Economics haiku, market creation, microeconomics, organ donation, price discrimination, price theory, Singapore
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Singapore is lifting its ban on compensating kidney donors. Behind the cut, I’ll analyze some of the effects, examine the welfare generated by such a policy, and include a summary in the form of an economics haiku.
Shovel-Ready Twins December 22, 2008
Posted by tomflesher in Academia.Tags: Bryan Caplan, EconLib, Keynesian, macroeconomics, make-work bias, Obama, public goods, public works, shovel-ready, stimulus
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My Macroeconomic Theory final had an extra credit question asking us to apply one of the models from the class to the Obama stimulus proposal. I’m something of an econeophyte, but I do remember this coming up in, inter alia, Alan Harvey’s Demand Side Economics podcast (which I listened to mainly to balance EconTalk, which I listen to mainly because Russ Roberts is brilliant).
In addition, I am a twin. Why this is relevant will become clear behind the cut.
Duceppe: the Biggest Loser? December 3, 2008
Posted by tomflesher in Canada.Tags: coalition government, game theory, Gilles Duceppe, secession
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AngryFrenchGuy thinks so.
Gilles Duceppe also lost the best gig in parliamentary politics this week: perpetual opposition. The right… – no, the constitutional duty – to rip the government and the other parties apart without ever having to offer a viable alternative.
Duceppe is in the position known in game theory as the kingmaker. He cannot achieve his goals on his own, and thus cannot “win” the government. He can only decide which of the two other parties becomes the government.
I disagree that he doesn’t gain anything, however; the instability of the government may provide him with the ability to pick up marginal seats in the next election, and could conceivably help his PR for future separation referendum purposes. Only time will tell.
Separatists in the House of Commons December 3, 2008
Posted by tomflesher in Canada.Tags: Canada, coalition government, economics, politics, Quebec, secession, separatism, sovereignty
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Disclaimer: The title of my blog, “Heureusement, ici, c’est le Blog!”, is a pun, not an endorsement of the Bloc Quebecois. I harbor no particular affinity for the Bloc Quebecois. Though this post argues for acceptance of the Bloc as a coalition member, it does so solely on rational grounds which could be applied in any analogous situation of home-rule separatism.
There have been a number of complaints about the separatist/sovereigntist influence on the House of Commons under the proposed left-wing coalition in Canada. The concerns appear to be that A) Separatists are a bad thing to have in the national government, and B) It is undemocratic to topple the plurality government of the Conservatives. Behind the cut, I’d like to discuss these concerns.
Quickie: Change-in-Government Roundup December 2, 2008
Posted by tomflesher in Canada.Tags: Canada, change in government, coalition government, divided left, Gilles Duceppe, Globe and Mail, Jack Layton, macroeconomics, Michaelle Jean, minority government, politics, Stephane Dion, Stephen Harper
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Quick roundup of news and editorials about the leadership crisis in Canada.
Background: After spending $300 million for an election to congeal his minority into a majority government, Stephen Harper made little progress and ended up with another minority government. This appeared to be well and good, despite the fact that a coalition of the left-wing parties plus the Bloc Quebecois could easily defeat the Conservative government in a confidence motion if it decided to do so. However, because Harper failed to deliver an economic stimulus package in his fall budget, the coalition is attempting to take over as government.
The point value of a passivity November 19, 2008
Posted by tomflesher in Uncategorized.Tags: economics, research project ideas, sports, sports economics, wrestling
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Sports are weird. Sometimes the things that determine the winner of a contest aren’t the on-field scores, at least not directly. Clock management, penalties, and other intangibles often end up determining the winner. How can we properly value those sorts of events? I’m going to post a brief analysis of an easy case, passivity warnings in international wrestling.
In memoriam November 11, 2008
Posted by tomflesher in Uncategorized.add a comment
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.— Lt.-Col. John McCrae
Statistical evidence that the Rays are outclassed. October 27, 2008
Posted by tomflesher in Baseball.Tags: Baseball, Phillies, Rays
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The series thus far.
Q.E.D.
Quickie: The World Series NL DH October 23, 2008
Posted by tomflesher in Baseball.Tags: Braves, Cardinals, Chris Coste, designated hitter, Lonnie Smith, Marlins, Phillies, quickies, weird lines, world series
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Things are fairly busy – it’s midterm time, and in my spare time I’ve been crunching numbers on the Canadian federal election. I’ve also been following Theron over at Recondite Baseball, who did a very interesting post about pitchers responsible for a high percentage of their team’s wins. I’d like to take a look at something that I consider to be the opposite: the poor guy who ends up playing DH for the National League team.
The World's Worst Sports Blog 