Comments on: Nobel Prize roundup

By: David Irving (no relation)

David Irving (no relation) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:06:57 +0000

Thanks for the exact details, Andyc. I knew it was dodgy, but couldn’t remember the specifics.

The only times its been halfway sensible is when they’ve given it to mathematicians for advances in game theory.

By: Adrien

Adrien — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:22:16 +0000

confirm his theories of reverse transcriptase neo-Lamarkian evolution
.
Oh good. I’ve been losing sleep staying up all night worrying about that one.

By: Su

Su — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:41:16 +0000

“Helps confirm his theories of reverse transcriptase neo-Lamarkian evolution.”

Oh good, I remember seeing Steele interviewed way back when. We may have need of a little accelerated evolution soon (she intoned spectrally). Now if only Prof Pettigrew could get his macrobats as primates theory over the line I could die happy.

By: Andyc

Andyc — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:58:56 +0000

David @ 8, Jane @ 10: It's officially the "Swedish State Bank Prize for Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel", and is not part of the original Nobel bequest. It's a desperate attempt by a bank to gain scientific credibility for economics, and is a perpetual source of embarrassment to scientific Swedes.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:40:15 +0000

David @8, or a Swiss gnome.

By: professor rat

professor rat — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:54:45 +0000

That fluro protein thing is good for Ted Steele. ( Sear Wikipedia )
Helps confirm his theories of reverse transcriptase neo-Lamarkian evolution.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.

By: David

David — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:04:49 +0000

The economics prize isn’t awarded by the Nobel comittee, Adrien. I think it’s the Bank of Sweden or something.

Anyway, it’s not, strictly, a Nobel prize, nor is economics a science. (Think verifiable results, theory confirmed by observation, lack of ideology, etc.)

By: Ambigulous

Ambigulous — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:04:01 +0000

Economics student to Prof during reading time before exam commences: “I think there’s an error here. All the questions are identical to last year’s questions!!” Prof, “No need to be concerned, young lady. The answers are all different this year.”

By: Andos

Andos — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:50:50 +0000

Economics a science? Please. Show me any other science which relies on a set of assumptions that only work in a very limited and constrained situation and have no relation to the real world.

Oh, wait… never mind.

By: Adrien

Adrien — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:33:26 +0000

So who one economics this year? One of Friedman’s or one of Stigliz’s? It is a science: economics. The only science where the hand these prizes out to people for saying the exact opposite thing.