[governance] [Dewayne-Net] REINHART AND ROGOFF: 'Full Stop,' We Made A Microsoft Excel Blunder In Our Debt Study, And It Makes A Difference

[michael gurstein]

Yes a bit of a digression, apologies... The point about the Reinhart and
Rogoff study was the extreme significance drawn from its apparent
"scientific" validity by various policy authorities (leading fairly directly
as I understand it to some of the current policies around austerity
particularly in Europe--with all of their effects including increases in
suicide, the breakdown of the health care system in Greece, the creation of
a lost generation of young people across Southern Europe) 

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/9e5107f8-a75c-11e2-9fbe-00144feabdc0.html#axz
z2QlRUB6V6

and referred back to the comments by Milton concerning the "scientific"
nature of his (or was it others') policy prognostications...

Economists of course, are split on the "scientific" validity of their work
especially as it interfaces with the real/policy world and the above should
if nothing else, suggest modesty and caution before we go around flaunting
and drawing policy directions from the supposed "scientific" validity of
this or that set of observations or conclusions.

But yes, apologies for the digression.

M

-----Original Message-----
From: David Conrad [mailto:drc at virtualized.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 3:44 PM
To: michael gurstein
Cc: governance at lists.igcaucus.org
Subject: Re: [governance] [Dewayne-Net] REINHART AND ROGOFF: 'Full Stop,' We
Made A Microsoft Excel Blunder In Our Debt Study, And It Makes A Difference

Michael,

On Apr 17, 2013, at 2:08 PM, michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com> wrote:
> Ah yes, the "science" of Economics... and the extremely deleterious 
> policy (and ultimately human) impact that has accompanied their hubris...

I've no real opinion on whether not Economics is a "science" (whatever that
word with scare quotes means), however it is interesting that you appear to
ignore the quote from that article:

"Economists have always been skeptical of the correlation/causality on
this."

My impression has been that it is the worst kind of politicians that choose
to cherry pick only those studies and evidence that reinforce their
philosophical views in order to justify the policies they pursue, however
that might just be my technologist background.

I do wonder what the Reinhart & Rogoff booboo has to do with Internet
Governance.

Regards,
-drc


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