Re: The (or an) Economists's Can Opener

["John Gelles" <johng@xxxxxxxxxx>]

        A physicist, a chemist and an economist are stranded on an island,
with nothing to eat. A can of soup washes ashore. The physicist says, "Lets
smash the can open with a rock." The chemist says, "Lets build a fire and
heat the can first." The economist says, "Let's assume that we have a
can-opener..."
        Joke sent by: Paul Samuelson

The source offered by Alan distinguishes between amateur and
professional economists. Sometimes the joke is on the former.
other times it is on the latter. Or it is on both.

The correct remark would have been, "Let's make a can-opener."
It would have been offered by anyone not so hungry he could not
think. A propensity to assume for purposes of thought experiment
is good. But the thought experiment must lead somewhere. Like to
making a can-opener once it's features are in mind. A sharp pinted
stick or stone struck with a flat rock ought to do for thin soup.

Hearty soup will require a wedge to widen the puncture. This
chemist, guy, is dangerous. The physicist is merely stupid. So why
did Samuelson want to make algebra out of literary criticism?

If you go to the post-autistic economics home page you can reach
Susan George on globalization, Seattle, etc. Fine writing. I would
post her essay if it were not so long.
        John G.

----- Original Message -----
From: Alan G. Isaac <aisaac@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pkt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Paul Davidson <pdavidson@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 11:47 AM
Subject: Re: The (or an) Economists's Can Opener


On Tue, 27 Mar 2001, John Gelles wrote:
>         So what's the joke -- please?
>         Let me guess:  It only works from inside the can?

Search for can-opener at
 http://www.etla.fi/pkm/JokEc.html
Alan Isaac