• yesman@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    “Top Economist” is a funny phrase. Kinda like saying “leading soothsayer”.

    Don’t think I don’t have sympathy or respect for the economist. I just notice that it’s the only academic discipline that pledges and is expected to predict the future.

    Just like experts in criminal trials, economists can be selected to prove what you already know. And just like horoscopes, it’s all very convincing until you measure the predictions against reality.

    • LibreHans@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      the only academic discipline that pledges and is expected to predict the future

      Huh? Ever heard of climate science?

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Or even just astronomy. They can predict a comet’s position long before it gets to where they predict it will be. And they will be right.

    • hyperreal@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I have a PhD in economics. Saying that the field “pledges” to be able to predict the future is pretty disingenuous. You’d be hard pressed to find any serious researcher in the field with that level of delusion.