Dismissed by a High Priest

["Henry C.K. Liu" <hliu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

First, I am not an economist, professional or othewise.  Secondly, when you
dismiss someone publicly as too "wrong" to merit consideration, you are
obligated to show cause.
Your post to a invited discussion forum to which I reponded made philopsophical
statements concerning political economy on which I cited different views based
on Polanyi and Lists, well respected economic historians.

Your academic credentials is not a basis for intellectual arguments. I advise
governments whose charge includes a fifth of the world's population. Summaries
of most worthwhile economic thinking come across my deak regularly.  But that is
not the basis of my arguements.  In fact, the reverse is the case.  My views are
what enable me to earn the right to advise.  Your circular posture of high
academic positions entitling you to dismiss unwelcome opinions as below standard
must be very comforting to you in your ivory tower.

As for your self-agrandizing posture as a high priest of professional economic
history and theory, the poor shape of the global economy ought to induce in you
some sense of humility.

I am posting this to other lists that do not engage in intellectual censorship
since I have been blocked from the Hayek list and my last post was copied to you
as the insistance of the list owner.
I have no desire to engage you on a personal level, but I do not suffer kindly
to being label wrong and below standards without proof.

Henry C.K. Liu

Peter J Boettke wrote:

> First, it is not a private church.
>
> Second, for professional economists to debate matters they have to have a
> common ground and that common ground is some familiarity with the
> professional level of argument in theory and facts in history.  Your post, I
> must say, failed to live up to those stanards.  It gave no indication you
> understand the theoretical issues at stake and your post reflected an
> understanding of the historical facts that is at the op-ed level of the NYT
> and not a professional economic historian.
>
> Third, as I said before on this list, I was a proud member of the Review of
> Political Economy editorial board and I have published in various
> Post-Keynesian, Institutionalist and even Marxist outlets.  It saddens me to
> see the arguments in economics reduced to the low level of impressionistic
> nonsense.  I think the issues under investigation deserve more serious
> treatment than that.
>
> Fourth, on Keen's seminar --- well, his claim to have shown a logical flaw
> is wrong.  His claim to have shown irrelevance in much of economics is
> right.  John Legg has been unable to keep the distinction clear in his head.
>
> Peter Boettke
>
> P.S.: I am posting this privately because your message was sent to me
> privately.  The Hayek List is not run by me so I have no control over who
> gets posted or not, but it is an edited list and not an open forum precisely
> to try to keep the conversation above a certain minimal level of competence.
>
> Peter J. Boettke, Deputy Director
> James M. Buchanan Center for Political Economy
> Department of Economics, MSN 3G4
> George Mason University
> Fairfax, VA 22030
> PHONE: 703-993-1149
> FAX: 703-993-1133
> EMAIL: pboettke@xxxxxxx
> HOMEPAGE: http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/pboettke
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Henry C.K. Liu" <hliu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <HAYEK-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <gang8@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
> <pkt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2002 5:17 PM
> Subject: Re: [HAYEK-L:] KEEN SEMINAR Plea from the innumerate
>
> > Professor Boettke,
> >
> > Wrong is a subjective term at best.  I do not have any desire to force you
> > to have a discussion.  I commented on your post in a rational and
> objective
> > manner. It is your right to accept or reject my comments. The verdict
> rests
> > with each reader. A Hayek list is not my usual watering hole, but I was
> > invited to join the Keen Seminar discussion.
> >
> > You are a professor by profession which obligates you to explain and
> > enlighten. If you think someone is wrong, it is your function to show why
> > he is wrong. Not to discuss until someone is judged "right" by your
> > standard is the preogative of a closed mind not that of a professor.
> >
> > I am posting this to other more open-minded lists since some posts of mine
> > to this list have not been able to get through.  Should have known better
> > than to enter your private church.
> >
> > Henry C.K. Liu
> > Chairman
> > Liu Investment Group
> > New York, NY 10021
> >
> > Peter Boettke wrote:
> >
> > > Mr. Liu,
> > >
> > > You are wrong on every single assertion you make in your reply.  So
> > >
> > > please double check your premises and think twice.  Perhaps then we
> > >
> > > could have a discussion, but as it is right now your assertions are so
> > >
> > > far from reasonable that it just doesn't make any sense to discuss with
> > >
> > > one another.
> > >
> > > Pete
> > >
> > > Prof. Peter J. Boettke, Deputy Director
> > > James M. Buchanan Center for Political Economy
> > > Department of Economics, MSN 3G4
> > > George Mason University
> > > Fairfax, VA 22030
> > > Phone: 703-993-1149
> > > FAX: 703-993-1133
> > > Email: pboettke@xxxxxxx
> > > HomePage: http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/pboettke
> > >
> > > Editor, THE REVIEW OF AUSTRIAN ECONOMICS
> >
> >