More on Super Freakonomics
Brad Plumer joins the chorus assailing the climate change chapter in Super Freakonomics. He gestures towards the same problem I noticed: Much of the original Freakonomics was based on Steven Levitt's original research. Fairly little in Super Freakonomics is based on Levitt's original research. Instead, it's just based on interesting stuff they've read. And a lot of that stuff comes from fields they don't seem to know that well.
Meanwhile, Levitt responds to some of his critics at his blog. Actually, "responds" is the wrong word. Instead, he just complains that he's being criticized, and implies that there's something intrinsically illegitimate about questioning the assumptions of a "Freakonomist." Given that his project is, in theory, all about questioning assumptions, it's not a particularly impressive performance.
By
Ezra Klein
|
October 16, 2009; 3:56 PM ET
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Posted by: Interceptor402 | October 16, 2009 4:11 PM | Report abuse
Their last post on the freakanomics blog was so transparently meant just to stir the pot and get attention, I refuse to play along. Do not feed the trolls.
Posted by: DonWhiteside | October 16, 2009 5:04 PM | Report abuse
The blog post states: "... Super Freakonomics ... Instead, it's just based on interesting stuff they've read. And a lot of that stuff comes from fields they don't seem to know that well."
Isn't that also true of essentially everything posted on this blog? Is it really so bad?
Posted by: kleefest | October 16, 2009 6:37 PM | Report abuse
When has an economist *not* thought that economic knowledge qualifies him to pontificate on absolutely everything?
Posted by: pj_camp | October 16, 2009 6:55 PM | Report abuse
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Second link is the same as the first link? I think a copypasta mistake has been made, here.