02-01-2010, 04:35 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NOVA
Posts: 3,005
|
Gregor Mendel and endogenous growth theory
(Warning: Grapevine tone).
According classical growth theory, technological innovation is independent of economic forces. A new scientific discovery made in isolation spurs technological advancement and consequently economic growth. But reality is different. Recently, I've been studying Gregor Mendel. Myth has it that the father of modern genetics was a monk mixing peas outside his monastery in isolation, when in fact there was burgeoning trade in the Austro-Hungarian empire that led everyone to mix better peas for sale. Technological innovation is endogenous to, not exogenous from, incentives.
__________________
太初有道 |
02-01-2010, 05:25 PM | #2 |
Demiurge
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 36,367
|
What is your point? Mendel is not known for "mixing peas." He is known for his observations and inferences on the breeding of peas.
|
02-02-2010, 02:45 PM | #3 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NOVA
Posts: 3,005
|
Quote:
My point is his discoveries arose from economic incentives.
__________________
太初有道 |
|
02-02-2010, 03:58 PM | #4 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: the far corner of my mind
Posts: 8,711
|
Quote:
Isn't this merely a correlation? Why couldn't it be both?
__________________
Sorry for th e tpyos. |
|
02-02-2010, 06:30 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NOVA
Posts: 3,005
|
So you're saying Mendel's discoveries spurred the trade that was going on in the Austro-Hungarian empire?
__________________
太初有道 |
02-02-2010, 06:58 PM | #6 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: the far corner of my mind
Posts: 8,711
|
Quote:
If technological innovations occur without respect to ecnomic incentives then does the fact that Mendel's innovations took place amidst commerce show causation?
__________________
Sorry for th e tpyos. |
|
02-02-2010, 07:21 PM | #7 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NOVA
Posts: 3,005
|
Quote:
The causal mechanism is simple: Burgeoning commerce led everyone to mix better peas for sale. Mendel got in on the bandwagon, then discovered the concept of dominant/recessive genes while mixing peas. He wasn't mixing peas for fun.
__________________
太初有道 Last edited by ChinoCoug; 02-02-2010 at 07:26 PM. |
|
02-02-2010, 07:23 PM | #8 |
Demiurge
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 36,367
|
This is my 2nd nomination for dumbest thread of the year.
|
02-02-2010, 08:14 PM | #9 | |
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 68
|
Quote:
|
|
02-02-2010, 08:50 PM | #10 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NOVA
Posts: 3,005
|
Quote:
Quote:
When I read this I thought, "totally new growth theory."
__________________
太初有道 |
||
Bookmarks |
|
|