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Coase, the Rules of the Game, and the Costs of Perfection (with Daisy Christodoulou)

[ANNUAL LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYV5XPG. Vote for your 2024 favorites! Survey ends Feb. 9th.] Surely perfection is better than imperfection. But applying technology to improve decision-making can backfire. Listen as ed-tech innovator Daisy Christodoulou and EconTalk’s Russ Roberts talk about the costs of seeking perfection when technology is used to improve refereeing in sports. They also talk […] The post Coase, the Rules of the Game, and the Costs of Perfection (with Daisy Christodoulou) appeared first on Econlib.

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Why AI Is Good for Humans (with Reid Hoffman)

[ANNUAL LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYV5XPG. Vote for your 2024 favorites!] Should we worry about the human future in a world of AI? Reid Hoffman is unafraid and even optimistic. He argues that the brave new world that awaits is going to be great for humanity. Listen as he talks about his book Superagency with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts […] The post Why AI Is Good for Humans (with Reid Hoffman) appeared first on Econlib.

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Weep, Shudder, Die: The Secret of Opera Revealed (with Dana Gioia)

[ANNUAL LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYV5XPG. Vote for your 2024 favorites!] How can opera, with words we rarely understand, make us cry? Why does opera, filled with melodrama, move us? Listen as poet and librettist Dana Gioia explains to EconTalk’s Russ Roberts why words matter more than we think, in both opera and on Broadway. The post Weep, Shudder, Die: The Secret of Opera Revealed (with Dana Gioia) appeared first on Econlib.

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Will DOGE and Musk Make a Difference? (with Michael Munger)

[ANNUAL LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYV5XPG. Vote for your 2024 favorites!] Can Musk use DOGE to reduce the size and power of the bureaucracy and big government? Michael Munger of Duke University thinks not, but EconTalk’s Russ Roberts isn’t so sure. Listen as they discuss the risks of empowering bureaucrats to rein in other bureaucrats and whether change can really […] The post Will DOGE and Musk Make a Difference? (with Michael Munger) appeared first on Econlib.

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Understanding the Settler Colonialism Movement (with Adam Kirsch)

[ANNUAL LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KYV5XPG. Vote for your 2024 favorites!] Under settler colonialism, you’re either a settler or indigenous and the sin of the founding of America, Australia, and Israel, for example, is not just a past injustice but a perpetuating mistake that explains the present. Listen as poet, author, and literary critic Adam Kirsch explains […] The post Understanding the Settler Colonialism Movement (with Adam Kirsch) appeared first on Econlib.

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The Power of Nuance: Lessons for Public Health (with Emily Oster)

Public health officials should tell the truth, even when it’s complicated. Even when some people might misunderstand. Otherwise, says economist Emily Oster of Brown University, the public will come to distrust the people we need to trust if we are to make good decisions both personally and publicly. Listen as Oster talks with EconTalk host […] The post The Power of Nuance: Lessons for Public Health (with Emily Oster) appeared first on Econlib.

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Fixing Sick Cities (with Alain Bertaud)

Why are European cities charming and American cities often so charmless? Simple, says urbanist Alain Bertaud: most American cities are zoned for single-family housing. The result is not enough customers within walking distance of a business, and not enough parking for the customers who drive. Why American cities are zoned that way is related to culture […] The post Fixing Sick Cities (with Alain Bertaud) appeared first on Econlib.

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Is This War With Lebanon Different? (with Matti Friedman)

Is Israel’s war with Lebanon going to end differently from past attempts to secure Israel’s northern border? Journalist Matti Friedman, who recounted his experience as a soldier in Lebanon in his book Pumpkinflowers, reflects on that experience in light of current events and looks to the future in this conversation with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts. The post Is This War With Lebanon Different? (with Matti Friedman) appeared first on Econlib.

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Why Industrial Policy Is (Almost) Always a Bad Idea (with Scott Sumner)

Tariffs are in the air. Will they help or hurt Americans? Listen as economist Scott Sumner makes the case against tariffs and various other forms of government intervention that go by the name of industrial policy. Along the way he looks at some of the history of worrying about the economic and military dangers posed […] The post Why Industrial Policy Is (Almost) Always a Bad Idea (with Scott Sumner) appeared first on Econlib.

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Translating Life and Fate (with Robert Chandler)

What does it take to translate a 900-page Russian novel written before the fall of the Soviet Union? For a start, it means learning what the Soviet censor cut and changed in the Russian original. It also means living in a seaside cottage for four months to immerse yourself completely in the characters’ lives and meet your publisher’s deadline. Listen as Robert Chandler, […] The post Translating Life and Fate (with Robert Chandler) appeared first on Econlib.

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