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Indeed, economics is incorporating pscyhology as part of an effort known as Behavioral Economics. Often these new theories are based on empirical results from human subject studies.

Psychology can help to reveal the true nature of human "utility measures," which might be "rational" (in terms of being rule-based), even if they do not produce the best personal results.

For example, drug addicts have a higher utility measure for their drugs than non-addicts, regardless of the fact that the additional use of drugs may have long-term negative effects. It is a "rational" decision in that not taking a drug may cause an addict great short-term pain. Part of behavioral economics is understanding the relationship between short-term and long-term utility, as well as expectations of rare versus common events, etc.

At the same time, while there are plenty of interesting Behavioral Economic results, there still seems to be plenty of validity to most of the generalizations of classical economics (such as supply/demand curves, etc.)

It is easy to try to bash classical economics on special cases, but its predictive power for large marketplaces remains.

That's about right. I estimate it at 15-20. It's nice that the article summary repeated a fact that most people overlook: that digital is a long way from approaching medium- and large-format film. More details here.

Nice to hear someone else echo the sentiments of my last year's jeremiad. It's still amazing how many professionals fall for it. How ridiculous being forced to replace your equipment every year, and yet still not getting the quality we take for granted with 35mm... let alone medium format.

A review of some Teaching Company courses is at http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/001767.html and the other courses you were probably refering too are the Portable Professor Series at Barnes & Noble http://btob.barnesandnoble.com/subjects/ref/ref_cd s2.asp?sourceid=00395996645644787198&btob=Y&pid=60 77

Er, no, it doesn't 'beg' the question. It raises it without answering it, certainly; but that's not what begging a question means.

Begging a question is assuming it, using it in a circular argument.

[pontificate mode: on]

I find it strange and depressing that a community which is, in general, so careful and precise about its use of computer languages, should be so cavalier in its treatment of human ones...

The thought of a hundred elephants-worth of water suspended in the sky begs another question -- what keeps it up there?

There is a time when one may be pedantic and in some cases it can be quite interesting:

What 'begs the question' really means [worksafe].

You can mod me 'flamebait' or 'troll' if you like but consider this - I'm just trying to enhance and improve your grammar-life, with no money down!