Podcast appearances and mentions of Peter Leeson

#293The Logistics of Moving OnInterview2023.02.22Your nice hosts invite Zachtronics founder Zach Barth to discuss the closing of the studio and the logistics of moving on from that. In this episode, you'll also hear about ruminations on what success means as a game dev, a theory about how great walking is and exclusive news about Zach's future plans.The Logistics of Moving OnIRLProductionZachtronics websiteLast Call BBSWhy Zachtronics is shutting down for good this time - Alex Calvin, gameindustry.bizLegal Systems Very Different From Ours - David Friedman, Peter Leeson, David SkarbekWhy Walking Helps Us Think - Ferris Jabr, The New YorkerCoincidenceZach BarthGuestZach Barth was the founder of Zachtronics and is currently working on unannounced projects.External linkZachtronics on Twitter

If you are into witch trials, wife sales or piracy, well, this podcast if for you. Peter Leeson, economist from George Mason Unviersity, is studying strange customs trying to find the reason behind them. Rational reason. Homo economicus is not dead - he says - it's a useful model!

We talk to Peter Leeson about the rise and rise of his Australian made Volt solar tile, which is being installed on rooftops in every state in Australia – and setting records overseas.

Your nice hosts invite Zachtronics founder Zach Barth to discuss the closing of the studio and the logistics of moving on from that. In this episode, you'll also hear about ruminations on what success means as a game dev, a theory about how great walking is and exclusive news about Zach's future plans. The Logistics of Moving On IRLProductionZachtronics websiteLast Call BBSWhy Zachtronics is shutting down for good this time - Alex Calvin, gameindustry.bizLegal Systems Very Different From Ours - David Friedman, Peter Leeson, David SkarbekWhy Walking Helps Us Think - Ferris Jabr, The New YorkerCoincidenceZach BarthGuest Zach Barth was the founder of Zachtronics and is currently working on unannounced projects. External link Zachtronics on Twitter

In the previous recording, I was speaking about political economy using the example of prison gangs, taken from David Skarbek's book Social Order of the Underworld. In this recording, I give the example of 18th-century Atlantic pirates, as discussed in Peter Leeson's The Invisible Hook. (It's a pun on Adam Smith's "invisible hand of the market".) We may have an image of pirates as fearsome, but this is at least somewhat deliberately manufactured by the pirates themselves. They wanted to have such a reputation so that their victims wouldn't resist as they looted their ships. There are parts of the pirate lifestyle, such as democracy and voluntarism, that we don't tend to discuss because they were part of life on a pirate ship but not something that they felt the need to advertise widely. What is most notable is that pirates' way of life seemed to be significantly preferable, and their governance significantly more "progressive", than that on merchant ships, which tended to be highly autocratic and abusive. It also provides a different perspective when we realise that sailors went into piracy at a time of labour market oversupply due to the ending of the War of Spanish Succession, when the British Navy didn't have the funds to keep on so many sailors, and yet this was the career of tens of thousands of young men who now had to find a job elsewhere. Overall, in these two recordings, I hope to have shown you that thinking about people's motivations and situations from the perspective of political economy makes a lot more sense, and builds a much richer picture, than merely psychological or sociological explanations (such as childhood trauma, psychopathy, or people's fundamental evil or violent nature). With this in mind, I hope that in future we can use more of this thinking when considering education, so that we can understand better how it works and how to improve it. Enjoy the episode.  

Please be advised that this episode contains mentions of violence and may be unsuitable for some listeners. I'd like to flesh out what I've been saying before about the power of economic analysis in explaining people's actions. Whereas when we normally think about motivation we think in terms of psychology, economists naturally think in terms of incentives. This kind of thinking is generally missing in educational discourse. There are two books that I found particularly fascinating and instructive on this point: The Social Order of the Underworld: How Prison Gangs Govern the American Penal System by David Skarbek; and The Invisible Hook by Peter Leeson. This recording focuses on the former. David Skarbek's book is fascinating and rich in both detail and theoretical explanation, so I focus on what I find most compelling and most relevant to transfer over to thinking about other contexts. First of all, he introduces existing criminological theories that aim to account for the rise in prison gangs, namely Deprivation theory and Importation theory. The former suggests that inmate behaviour is a result of the pain of imprisonment, and the latter focuses on pre-prison beliefs and experiences that are brought into prison. Skarbek departs from both of these theories, grounding his own analysis in political economy. He introduces us to the basic assumptions of economics - that people are self-interested and respond rationally to incentives - and goes on to describe the role of governance in society. His fundamental thesis is that prison gangs provide governance, meaning that they provide a form of public good which enhances personal safety and opportunities for trade (mostly in drugs). While I'm yet to fully apply the ideas of political economy to education (except for reading about it inThe Beautiful Tree, China's Examination Hell, and Education and the State), I feel that digging in to some examples like this can help us appreciate the reasons why people do things. Crucially, they are not all psychological. Enjoy the episode.

Peter Leeson from Volt Solar Tile and Leeson Group joined us to talk about his journey from solar installer, to solar farm developer, to manufacturer of an innovative roof tile. There's a heap of interesting conversation on all of the above and more in this episode.https://www.volt-tile.com/https://www.leesongroup.com.au/Just Another Solar Podcast is hosted by Luke Beattie and Karl Jensen.This is the sort of conversation that solar industry professionals would have at the pub.If anything sounds like financial, business, legal or any other type of advice, you should always do your own research and get a professional opinion. 

This bonus podcast is a single interview with Dr. Peter Leeson on the topic of trial by combat. Surprisingly, Dr. Leeson argues that this option was among the best for settling land disputes. Theme song: Game of Thrones (80's TV Theme) by Highway Superstar Check out https://support.baldmove.com/ to find out how you can gain access to ALL of our premium content, as well as ad-free versions of the podcasts, for just $5 a month! Join the discussion:  book@baldmove.com | Discord | Reddit | Forums Follow us:  Instagram | LeDonneBooks.com Anthony Le Donne is the co-author of the following books: Gods of Thrones, vol. 1: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Thrones-Pilgrims-Guide-Religions-ebook/dp/B07JLNZB9G Gods of Thrones, vol. 2: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q8G7K9G Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He's an economist who studies even weirder things than Steve. They discuss whether economics is the best of the social sciences, and why it's a good idea to get a tattoo of a demand curve on your bicep.

If you are into witch trials, wife sales or piracy, well, this podcast if for you. Peter Leeson, economist from George Mason Unviersity, is studying strange customs trying to find the reason behind them. Rational reason. Homo economicus is not dead - he says - it's a useful model!Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/sebastianstodolak)

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). This episode features a lecture by economics and law professor Peter Leeson from 2016. Leeson uses rational choice theory to explore the benefits of self-governance. Relying on experience from the past and present, Professor Leeson provides evidence of anarchy 'working' where it is least expected to do so and explains how this is possible. Provocatively, Leeson argues that in some cases anarchy may even outperform government as a system of social organization, and demonstrates where this may occur.

Escaping household chaos, a car-bound Jonah talks prisons with Brown University’s David Skarbek. Bolivian jails and Soviet gulags are just two choices in this long game of Where’d-You-Rather: Incarceration Edition. Skarbek takes us through the highlights of his upcoming book and touches on the delicate subject of policing. Show Notes: -Skarbeck’s upcoming book: The Puzzle of Prison Order: Why Life Behind Bars Varies Around the World -Skarbek on EconTalk -Pirates, Prisoners, and Lepers: Lessons from Life Outside the Law, by Paul and Sarah Robinson -Chained Heat -Caged Heat (There’s more than one of these???) -Jonah on the CHAZ -Rule of clans  -German phrase for “Attaining freedom once you reach a city” -Alex Tabarrok on street safety policy  -1982 “Broken Windows” essay -Vin Cannato on The Remnant -Andersonville prisoner of war camp -Peter Leeson, The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates -Emma Goldman, anarchist  -Elinor Ostrom, economist -Gabi.com/remnant -ExpressVPN.com/remnant for 3 months free with a year plan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode you can hear Peter Leeson, Andrei and Bogdan talk about: How quality is the most worth while thing to strive for, the difficulties employees have pointing out managerial mistakes, the benefits of bureaucracy and how companies sometimes alter reports to make them fit their image. You can read the show notes on https://techieleadership.com/show10

On this throwback episode of the Hayek Program Podcast, Peter Leeson uses rational choice theory to explore the benefits of self-governance in his book, 'Anarchy Unbound.' Relying on experience from the past and present, this book provides evidence of anarchy “working” where it is least expected to do so and explains how this is possible. Leeson argues that in some cases anarchy may even outperform government as a system of social organization, and demonstrates where this may occur. 'Anarchy Unbound' challenges the conventional self-governance wisdom. It showcases the incredible ingenuity of private individuals to secure social cooperation without government and how their surprising means of doing so can be superior to reliance on the state. CC Music: Twisterium

My guest today is Peter Leeson, an economics professor at George Mason University and is known for connecting rational choice theory with unusual domains. He looks at human behavior as a series of puzzles that are being solved by those involved. He focuses his studies on everything from bizarre rituals and superstitions to the behavior of Caribbean pirates. Peter's work has also been quoted as “Freakonomics on steroids.” The topics are his books WTF?!: An Economic Tour of the Weird and The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates. In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss: Somalia pirates Anarchy vs. government Medieval law and order Trial by jury Logic of incentives Street hustlers Jump in! --- I'm MICHAEL COVEL, the host of TREND FOLLOWING RADIO, and I'm proud to have delivered 10+ million podcast listens since 2012. Investments, economics, psychology, politics, decision-making, human behavior, entrepreneurship and trend following are all passionately explored and debated on my show. To start? I'd like to give you a great piece of advice you can use in your life and trading journey… cut your losses! You will find much more about that philosophy here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/trend/ You can watch a free video here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/video/ Can't get enough of this episode? You can choose from my thousand plus episodes here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/podcast My social media platforms: Twitter: @covel Facebook: @trendfollowing LinkedIn: @covel Instagram: @mikecovel Hope you enjoy my never-ending podcast conversation!

Peter Leeson is an economics professor at George Mason University and is known for connecting rational choice theory with unusual domains. He looks at human behavior as a series of puzzles that are being solved by those involved. He focuses his studies on everything from bizarre rituals and superstitions to the behavior of Caribbean pirates. Peter’s work has also been quoted as “Freakonomics on steroids.” How does Peter come up with some of his “crazy” ideas? He likes to have a broad library to read from, particularly history books. As he reads he comes across a lot of practices that may seem outlandish to most, but fascinating to him. From there he digs deeper and finds meaning in certain practices through religion, economics, politics, etc. Throughout Peter’s work it is clear that the main motivator driving behavior is incentives. What happens when we have government incentives vs. private incentives? Michael and Peter finish the podcast talking government intervention, wealth creation and cultural behavior driving capitalistic efforts. In this episode of Trend Following Radio: Somalia pirates Anarchy vs. government Medieval law and order Trial by jury Logic of incentives Street hustlers

In 'WTF?! An Economic Tour of the Weird', Peter Leeson shows that far from "irrational" or "accidents of history," humanity's most outlandish rituals are ingenious solutions to pressing problems--developed by clever people, driven by incentives, and tailor-made for their time and place. On April 26, 2018, the Hayek Program hosted a book panel featuring author Peter Leeson and scholars Boris Gershman and Steven Pfaff to discuss the theories and implications of Leeson's new book. CC Music: Twisterium

Looking back at the past and making sense of practices from primitive societies is no simple task. It's easy to see the weird, the odd, and the seemingly barbaric as relics of a time of lesser-rationality and to dismiss them as unnecessary or backwards. Yet cross-cultural interventions by societies seemingly more advanced than others often result in chaos, bloodshed, and a price paid for the hubris of the so-called civilized. What is there for modern people to learn from dead European explorers, human sacrifice, trial by ordeal, and cross-cultural experiments in fairness? For this inaugural episode, we speak with Professors Peter Leeson and Joe Henrich, two experts at making sense of the seemingly senseless. Peter Leeson is an economist at George Mason University and the author of several books on economic explanations of weird, odd, or unusual practices like piracy and human sacrifice. His most recent book, WTF?!: An Economic Tour of the Weird, takes a look at rational agent explanations for trial by ordeal, “preowned wife sales,” and other weird cultural practices. Joe Henrich brings a slightly different perspective to the table. He is an evolutionary biologist at Harvard University who looks at how different cultural practices lend themselves to human evolution and social cooperation. His most recent book, The Secret of Our Success: How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter, breaks down how cultural practices work as a “collective brain” to help ensure the success of a society or subculture.

Peter Leeson of George Mason University joins the podcast today to discuss his latest book, WTF?!: An Economic Tour of the Weird. We discuss the economic reasoning behind some of history's strangest practices: ordeals that were used to determine innocence or guilt in medieval Europe, trials by battle that were used to settle land disputes in Norman England, wife auctions that happened during the Industrial Revolution, and the criminal prosecution of insects and rodents by ecclesiastical courts in Renaissance Italy. Also check out Peter's previous book, The Invisible Hook, about the economics of pirates. You won't regret it!  

Author and professor at George Mason University, Peter Leeson describes himself as not just an economist but as a "collector of curiosa." In his latest book, WTF?! An Economic Tour of the Weird, Leeson looks at just that -- the strangest beliefs, superstitions and rituals humankind has engaged in -- and using economics, uncovers the incentives and rational behavior that makes them, well, make a whole lot more sense. In this Halloween Special, Leeson and a16z's Hanne Tidnam dive into the weirdest historical mysteries -- everything from ecclesiastic courts that put rats and rodents on trial, to judicial ordeals that determined guilt or innocence by boiling the accused's hands in cauldrons of hot water, to the economics and laws that governed pirate ships. All these practices, Leeson argues, use superstitions and beliefs like tools: a kind of technology -- in the broadest possible terms.

Peter Leeson is a professor of economics and law at George Mason University, known for his work on rational choice theory, applying it to unusual rituals and superstitions, piracy, and anarchy. His most recent book WTF?! an Economic Tour of the Weird, dives into some of the strangest rituals and events around the world and explains them using rational choice theory. In the face of the mainstream popularity of pop-behavioral economics claiming humans are irrational, Peter looks at some of the bizarre, weird, unexplainable, and crazy parts of societies around the world and uses clear economic thinking to explain why the reaction to dismiss them as crazy or irrational is wrong in every case. In this episode, Isaac and Peter dive into some weird examples covered in the book and then some frustrating and confusing behavior from the world around us like the price of razors, or why people speed up when you go to pass them on the highway. Topics Covered: - Peter's new book WTF?! an Economic Tour of the Weird - Ordeals to try accused of crimes in medieval Europe - The logic behind ordeals - Ball don't lie - The value of oracles - The difference between rational beliefs and rational actions - Wife selling in 18th century England - Why are razors so expensive? - Why slow drivers speed up when you go to pass them? - Are people rational? - Beliefs as a constraint - The risk in trying to change beliefs - The criminal prosecution of insects and rodents - Peter's upcoming projects (the economics of panhandlers)

Peter Leeson is the Duncan Black Professor of Economics and Law at George Mason University. His work often reads as forays into high weirdness, voyages to strange unknown countries penetrated only by the light of economic reasoning.Leeson, The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates. Princeton University Press. 2011.WTF?! An Economic Tour of the Weird. Stanford University Press. 2017. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter T. Leeson is Duncan Black Professor of Economics and Law at George Mason University. He is also a Senior Fellow at the F.A. Hayek Program for the Advanced Study of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics as well as the North American Editor of Public Choice. Peter is author of The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates and Anarchy Unbound: Why Self-Governance Works Better Than You Think. In this episode you will learn: why Peter decided to study the economics of pirates. the similarities between The Invisible Hand and The Invisible Hook. how pirates were rational thinkers and social revolutionaries. how the Pirate Code created a social order that was economically beneficial to the crew. why unemployed sailors became buccaneers and pirates. the signalling effect of the Jolly Roger flag and why pirates used it as they approached a merchant ship. and much much more. Check out the show notes page for all resources and links mentioned in this episode at www.economicrockstar.com/peterleeson  

Economist Pete Leeson believes everything can be explained using the economic assumption of rational behavior. He is a prolific academic and his work covers a wide variety of fascinating and sometimes bizarre phenomena - from insect trials to witch burning, piracy, and everything in between - and provides rational explanations for seemingly irrational behavior. We discuss what inspired him to become an economist, the major themes of his work, whether everything can be explained with economic analysis, and what he thinks of different economic schools of thought. You can find him online at peterleeson.com.

I discuss the work of Rene Girard and Peter Leeson, and what both might teach us about trying to change society.

In this episode, Glen Whitman discusses Economics of the Undead: Vampires, Zombies, and the Dismal Science, a book he co-edited with James Dow. Glen is an economics professor at California State University and, unlike most academic economists, he moonlights as a TV writer. He first wrote for the TV show Fringe and now writes for the soccer spy drama, Matador. The book’s website provides the following description: “Whether preparing us for economic recovery after the zombie apocalypse, analyzing vampire investment strategies, or illuminating the market forces that affect vampire-human romances, Economics of the Undead: Zombies, Vampires, and the Dismal Science gives both seasoned economists and layman readers something to sink their teeth into. Undead creatures have terrified villagers and popular audiences for centuries, but when analyzed closely, their behaviors and stories—however farfetched—mirror our own in surprising ways. The essays collected in this book are as humorous as they are thoughtful, as culturally relevant as they are economically sound, and provide an accessible link between a popular culture phenomenon and the key concepts necessary to building one’s understanding of economic systems large and small. It is the first book to combine economics with our society’s fascination with the undead, and is an invaluable resource for those looking to learn economic fundamentals in a fun and innovative way.” Among the topics covered in the discussion are helpful hints such as how to meet the vampire man of your dreams, to choose what to bring on your trek across the zombie-infested wastelands you once called home, and to rebuild civilization after the undead apocalypse. Human capital will be particularly helpful in the zombie apocalypse; it has immense value and goes wherever you go. Doctors are often depicted among the survivors of the zombie apocalypse, possibly because survivor groups would rather recruit a doctor than kill him. There’s an analogy to pirates, who would press valuable seamen like surgeons or carpenters into service rather than killing them (for more pirate economics, check out Peter Leeson’s The Invisible Hook). Among the more unexpected chapters of the book is “Killing Time: Dracula and Social Discoordination,” by Hollis Robbins. Robbins connects the infamous Transylvanian villain’s ability to distort his victims’ senses of time to date- and time-keeping standards that some nations had adopted while others had not at the time the book was written. You can find Glen online at econundead.com where he posts about the latest in undead economics news or on twitter as @glenwhitman.

In this week’s episode: Numbers 4-7.  We explore the supposed efficacy of trying alleged adulterers by ordeal Leonard Cohen style and consider whether the return of flogging might solve the prison problem in North America. ICYMI, Peter Leeson's article on trial by ordeal and Peter Moskos' book In Defense of Flogging.

Peter Leeson of George Mason University and author of The Invisible Hook talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the economics of 18th century pirates and what we can learn from their behavior. Leeson argues that pirates pioneered a number of important voluntary institutions such as constitutions as a way to increase the profitability of their enterprises. He shows how pirates used democracy and a separation of powers between the captain and the quartermaster to limit the potential for predation or abuse on the part of the captain. He explains the role of the Jolly Roger in limiting damages from conflict with victims. The conversation closes with a discussion of the lessons for modern management.

Peter Leeson of George Mason University and author of The Invisible Hook talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the economics of 18th century pirates and what we can learn from their behavior. Leeson argues that pirates pioneered a number of important voluntary institutions such as constitutions as a way to increase the profitability of their enterprises. He shows how pirates used democracy and a separation of powers between the captain and the quartermaster to limit the potential for predation or abuse on the part of the captain. He explains the role of the Jolly Roger in limiting damages from conflict with victims. The conversation closes with a discussion of the lessons for modern management.