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Karl_Smith comments on Welcome to Less Wrong! - Less Wrong
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Name: Karl Smith
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Born: 1978
Education: Phd Economics
Occupation: Professor - UNC Chapel Hill
I've always been interested in rationality and logic but was sidetracked for many (12+) years after becoming convinced that economics was the best way to improve the lives of ordinary humans.
I made it to Less Wrong completely by accident. I was into libertarianism which lead me to Bryan Caplan which lead me Robin Hanson (just recently). Some of Robin's stuff convinced me that Cryonics was a good idea. I searched for Cryonics and found Less Wrong. I have been hooked ever since. About 2 weeks now, I think.
Also, skimming this I see there is a 14 year-old on this board. I cannot tell you how that makes burn with jealousy. To have found something like this at 14! Soak it in Ellen. Soak it in.
Awesome. I'd love to hang with you if I'm there next year; you don't have any connections to BIAC do you? I just applied for a postbac fellowship there..
What's your specialty in econ?
I don't have any connection to BIAC.
My specialty is human capital (education) and economic growth and development
Ah. I know something of the former and little of the latter. I'd presume your interests are much more normative than mine.
Does the term 'normative' work in that context?
Yes,
I could try to say that my work focuses only on understand how growth and development take place for example but this in practice this it doesn't work that way.
A conversation with students, policy makers, even fellow economists will not go more than 5 - 10 mins without taking a normative tact. Virtually everyone is in favor of more growth and so the question is invariably, "what should we DO to achieve it"