In my last essay, I not only described the historical underpinnings of the model of homo economicus but also described it as a foundational element of modern economic theory. Homo economicus is the smallest unit of analysis in economic theory and is characterized as a solitary agent, calculating in his utility, solely driven by competition,… Continue reading Carrots & Sticks
Tag: goals
Quality Detector
“Data is the new gold” is the mantra of our age. The data scientist has been termed the “sexiest job of the 21st century.” Every industry is driven by the impetus to acquire, curate, and analyze all aspects of their business. We measure and quantify everything with the promise of utilizing this data to drive… Continue reading Quality Detector
To explore or exploit?
The exploration-exploitation dilemma is one of the most basic yet frustrating trade-offs in nature. The dilemma consists of a dichotomy that involves “exploiting” existing opportunities to gain short-term known gains versus using that time and “exploring” new opportunities in the hopes of gaining large long-term payoffs. The dilemma can be succinctly summarized by the age-old… Continue reading To explore or exploit?
What is health?
This question was recently posed to a group of allopathic trained health care professionals who answered with responses such as, “absence of disease,” “body, mind, and emotional wellness,” and “continuum between disease and total well being.” Although the responses seem vague and generalized, the descriptions were generally in line with the World Health Organization (WHO)… Continue reading What is health?
Sagarmatha Beckons
At the beginning of last year, I was reading a travel magazine and came across an article for a trek to Everest Base Camp. The pictures of the world’s highest peak and its surrounding landscape were breathtaking and I immediately wanted to experience the trek to the third pole. However, the article also mentioned that… Continue reading Sagarmatha Beckons
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