A week of links
Links this week:
Matt Zimmerman of Biased Transmission reviews Ashraf and Galor’s theory of genetic diversity and economic development. He points out that the hypothesis can explain any observed pattern in the data. I recommend subscribing to Matt’s feed.
Jason Antrosio takes on Jared Diamond’s argumentsabout violence in hunter-gatherer societies. An excellent read.
David Sloan Wilson provides another critique of a straw man version of the invisible hand. The interesting aspect of this critique, as for many other of Wilson’s takes on economics, is that the group selection framework he wants to bring into economics doesn’t even have the evolutionary biologists onside.
Geoffrey Miller presents on sexual selection and runway consumerism.
The Santa Fe Institute MOOC on complexity has kicked off.