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Author Archives: F. E. Guerra-Pujol
Close to zero
As we approach the end of the winter season, what are the chances of finding two identical snowflakes? According to physicist Jon Nelson (via Popular Mechanics), the chances are “essentially zero.” Or, to be more mathematically precise, the chances are one … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Mathematics, Probability, Science
4 Comments
The End of Risk-Taking?
Our friend and colleague Tyler Cowen has just published a new book with a catchy title: The Complacent Class. At the risk of over generalization (pun intended), Professor Cowen’s book claims that North Americans are becoming intellectually lazy and spiritually complacent–more … Continue reading
Posted in Bayesian Reasoning, Economics, History
2 Comments
Type I or Type II error?
Was this situation a false positive or a false negative?
Posted in Bayesian Reasoning, Questions Rarely Asked
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Class No. 7 (Right and Wrong)
Thus far this semester, we have studied sources of law as well as three major areas of private law: contracts, torts, and property. In our next class, by contrast, we will focus on the extralegal domains of ethics and morality: … Continue reading
Posted in Ethics, Law
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Markets and morality
We have been attending the 12th Annual International Conference on Contracts (KCON XII) at Southwestern Law School in downtown Los Angeles this weekend (fun!). One of our favorite talks at the conference was by Nathan Oman, a law professor at … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Bad Promises
We know that a promise to do something illegal (like cooking and distributing meth) is not legally enforceable, but what moral status does such an illegal promise have? We address this question in our work in progress on Immoral Promises, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Gaming the Electoral College
We just attended Professor Mona Field’s guest lecture on “American Presidential Elections” at Glendale Community College (see flyer below). Among other things, Prof. Field talked about the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. In summary, this novel compact is designed to … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
7 Comments
What is a light-year?
The journal Nature recently published this letter announcing the exciting discovery of seven exoplanets 40 light-years away from Earth: only 235 trillion miles away! Does this mean it would take us 40 Earth years to reach those planets if we … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
5 Comments
Why is English the official language of Florida?
We totally understand why such insignificant states like Idaho or Nebraska might want to enact such insular and small-minded legislation. But California and Florida …?
Posted in Uncategorized
34 Comments
The Snuggies Case
Have you ever seen any of those cheesy infomercials for Snuggies? (Check out the YouTube clip below, if you like to watch low-budget ads. Snuggies are wearable fleece coverings, i.e. blankets with sleeves.) As a matter of tax law, is … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
8 Comments
prior probability 