Walter Derzko wrote (see below):
It's best for a basic assumption to be a self-evident truth. It's good not
to have too many, as errors are bound to creep in. (Bertrand Russell said
better to have 2 than 16.)
The Classical Political Economy I teach has two Basic Assumptions. The
whole science rests on these two assumptions. In half century of teaching
adults, no-one has successfully responded to "Come up with two examples of
people not described by both Assumptions".
They are:
"Man's desires are unlimited";
"Man seeks to satisfy his desires with the least exertion".
No exceptions allowed!
The first, of course, means that that their can be no such thing as
unemployment - which might lead to some rewarding questions.
The second accounts for some behavior that we are sometimes affronted by.
The Assumptions do not say that Man is greedy, nor that he is lazy or
selfish. They are simply observations.
In the interests of Political Correctness, we have replaced 'man' with
'people'!
Harry
>What do you take for granted in your discipline ? Is it carved in stone?
>
>What basic assumptions have been challenged in your field over the past
>year ? What is it that you always took for granted but don't any more?
>
>Here's my candidate for physics/chemistry.
>
>Grade 10 physics and chemistry never prepared me for the possibility that˙
>the melting point of a substance can be below its freezing point.
>
>But that's what happens when dimensions get really small. Scientists at
>Washington Univ have discovered "that small clusters of atoms-say a dozen˙
>atoms across-exhibits properties so different from normal everyday
>aggregations that they're essentially a new form of matter."
>Small clusters of sodium don't melt at the usual melting point of 208F˙
>but at 21F-below the freezing point. Why and how is still a mystery
>(Ref Business Week, Sept 29th, page 106)
>
>...maybe that's why homeopathy works....hmmm ?? new effects at the
>microcellular level that we can't even imagine yet at our normal scale of˙
>reality.
>
>So, what's your candidate for the most unique assumption challenge in
>your field that was first suggested or proven in 1997 ?
>
>Please email me <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> your suggestions by Oct 20th. It's for a
>journal article I'm writing.
>
>Walter Derzko
>Director, Idea Lab
>Toronto, Ontario
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>(416) 588-1122
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Harry Pollard (818) 352-4141
Henry George School of Los Angeles
Box 655
Tujunga CA 91042
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