Learning through association of a behavior with rewards and punishment. We tend to do more of the things that make us feel good rather than feel bad.

Trade flows can be predicted based on the proximity of two places and size of their respective economies.

A possible explanation to the Fermi Paradox can be found in energy economics.

A common way of representing signed integers (can be positive or negative) in computers.

A team explores the solution space of a set of pre-prepared problem statements or scenarios by sketching out different approaches that solve it.

Being on video conference calls repeatedly is exhausting. This phenomena is believed to be caused by the brain working overtime because we can tell the other person is an imperfect projection and reading body language is difficult.

A habit that helps make acquiring new habits easier. For example, the habit of removing the option of notdoing something you need to do decreases the mental energy to take the desired action and thereby create the habit.

Economist Alex Tabarok argues that pundits should be required to bet on their opinions and predictions.

Startups display many properties of a full blown economy sped up many by many times.

If every time a group of people need to work together they need to agree on how they work together, who is involved, and expectations, the cost of cooperation would grow with the number of people (possibly exponentially).

In a conversation about innovation with Tyler Cowen, Peter Thiel made the point that we can always do more with more and conversely, less with less.

In order for an economy to prosper, there must be a high degree of trust in the system.

Prior to the 1900s, people did not believe an animal could go extinct–they assumed nature was endless.

Refers to the Leo Strauss notion that serious writers communicate ideas through many layers of meaning and abstraction which simultaneously protects the author from the ruling regime and attracts the right readers.

The non-secular Buddha, who teaches the practice of meditation and mindfulness through a more academic lens.

There are two different kinds of fun. Type I fun is when you are having fun and know you are having fun while doing it.

Capitalism has gone through several phases 1) local markets bounded by limited mobility 2) globalization where markets expanded beyond borders now 3) markets saturated bounded by consumption.

A policy of providing regular income to people who are not working or are unable to work to meet basic needs.

People who recently uncover an idea tend to be the most zealous in promoting and defending it because it becomes part of their identity and identity is a powerful motivation for behaviors.

Something you focus on seems more important than it actually is.

In plate tectonics, all of the interesting effects like mountain formation, earthquakes, happen on the edge of the plates.

The conceptualization of long periods and how they fit into our lives which was originated from studying geological strata.

A product team or organization that moves slowly (e.g. reviews, gatekeepers, heavy process) in introducing changes moves slower over time.

Make a little progress on your most important goals every day, even if it’s something small.