1\ There's a sort of "science homily" about limes and scurvy:
That Lind did a randomized control trial with limes, completely eradicated scurvy, and then was ignored by the scientific establishment because they were all idiots
I was surprised to learn this ain't so...
2\ The proceedings from the Royal Society of London make it clear that the scientific establishment was, well, scientific. It's just that the data was confusing!
First, the proposed mechanisms of action didn't make sense:
3\ Second, there were cases where scurvy happened despite lime juice, as well as cases where scurvy was avoided despite a diet of only meat:
4\ There was also confusion between lemons and limes, as well as mistakes in the delivering of lemon juice. Here's Wiki:
5\ Everyone involved was reasoning from scientific hypothesis, and they all more or less understood the concept of experimental controls. But the data was confusing and the world was messy
Only later did we tidy up the story and cast Lind as the scientific hero
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1\ Many of my conservative friends part ways with me when it comes to immigration
They believe in free association but see problems when it comes to free movement of people across borders
What about crime? Welfare? Voting?
There's a comic book that addresses these concerns!
2\ My notes from the book:
3\ I'd like to see @bryan_caplan address the criticism that some of his rebuttals ("Immigrants aren't that socialist!", "They don't commit much crime!") are plausibly true only *because* of immigration restrictions
Would those rebuttals hold with fully open borders?
1\ Has anyone seen data that compares guilds who ration supply through cap and trade (NYC taxis, floor brokers) to guilds that ration supply through arbitrary certification (doctors, lawyers, teachers, London taxis)?
2\ To keep supply below demand, certification must be stultifying; it must include material irrelevant to the job. Hence the legions of dimwit teachers and doctors
I would think cap and trade gets closer to efficient Coasian outcomes
But I don't know how to test the theory
3\ Though the comparison between NYC and London taxis suggests a direction for inquiry. Are credentialed taxis more expensive than taxis that just have to buy a license and pass a minimal geography test?
1\ In the 1980s, the world was confronted by a scary new epidemic: HIV and AIDS
Like COVID-19, it quickly became politicized. Except that in the 1980s, it was the Right arguing for lockdowns, and the Left defending civil liberties.
Let's take a spin through history...
2\ Like NYC mayor Bill DeBacle today, mayor Koch created a false dichotomy between civil liberties and "saving lives":
3\ NYC even latched onto the phrase "If you save one life!"
In 1985, this vapid catch-phrase was used by the overtly religious
Today, the *exact same* phrase is used as a mantra by secular elites, who cannot admit that they have fallen for an ascientific religion