Michael Perelman wrote:

> David, the method is flawed.

What do you mean by "the method," Michael?  Do you mean a very
specific way in which a particular group of economists estimates costs
and benefits, or do you mean that, in general, every time humans try
to estimate the costs and benefits of their actions, they are
necessarily bound to reach flawed conclusions?

If the latter, if flawed cost/benefit analysis is a corollary of
flawed humanity or flawed human cognition, then how are humans
supposed to economize their time in -- say -- a communist society?
Should they not try to reduce the consequences of their actions to a
common social substance (welfare or the other side of it, labor time)
and compare the pluses and the minuses?  If not, then how are they
supposed to make their economic decisions?

If the former, are you arguing then that the way a particular group of
economists does cost/benefit analysis is flawed, because they are not
taking into consideration total social costs and benefits, as only a
communist society would?  If, so, aren't you then arguing implicitly
for a different form of cost/benefit analysis (communist cost/benefit
analysis)?
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