Superb reasoning here. A must read.
Jim Whyte.
In
5 responses
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It’s not superb reasoning. It’s based on statements like
Would measures to make coal mining safer benefit coal miners? Dr Stoate and his friends at the BMA will probably think so. But they are wrong. Making coal mining safer would only injure coal miners.
which is just clever word-play (as injure means financially) and ones like
Left to his own devices, a profit- seeking employer would get workplace safety exactly right
which means nothing really, as exactly right is defined as ‘profit maximising’.
Tim adds: No, it isn’t. It’s defined as utility maximising, in this case for the workers. -
But for a journalist to write that health and safety legislation only benefits less “brave” people is unforgiveable isn’t it ?
Tim adds: “With a different risk profile” would have been less insulting, yes. -
Nobody ever gets anything “exactly right”.
In most cases, nobody can even agree on what that means. If we mine, there will be accidents. We can spend far more on mine safety than coal is worth to us, and even if it’s well-spent, once in a while there will still be an accident.
In plain English, if we want coal, we’re condemning one or more randomly selected miners to a hideous subterranean death, and we’re condemning ourselves to a good scolding from the self-appointed moral dominatrixes of the left when it happens.
Some mine company or other will always wiggle around the safety laws, or somebody will make a mistake. So? So pass a law making them obey the law! Outlaw mistakes, too! Then pass another law saying they have to obey the “obey the law” law. Just to be safe. And if that doesn’t work, spend more money.
As Bono (or some equivalent) said about curing poverty, we know exactly how to fix the problem. All we need is the political will. -
Tim adds: No, it isn’t. It’s defined as utility maximising, in this case for the workers.
No, it’s not. He says:
Left to his own devices, a profit- seeking employer would get workplace safety exactly right, taking just those measures that save more than they cost
Tim adds: And the method is? That he ends up with a workforce that are happy with the risk reward ratio. -
” But why are doctors such unusually enthusiastic prohibitionists?” I can still recall my GP opening the envelope that contained my cholesterol results: her face fell and she told me that they were fine.
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