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To: Patrick Slevin who wrote (283)	10/26/2000 11:36:26 PM
From: tradermike_1999	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74559

I remember studying David Hume in philosphy classes I took in college. Your post makes me wish I could recall what he said and was about. If I remember right he was an intimate of Adam Smith. Have you ever heard of Karl Polanyi? He's the best economist I've ever read. Wrote a book called The Great Transformation about how the free market system came to be and why the Great Depression happened. One of the best books I ever read.

To: Patrick Slevin who wrote (283)	10/28/2000 3:32:04 PM
From: nihil	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

Among historians of economic thought (such as Schumpeter), David Hume is credited with discovering the balance of payments mechanism. He was a religious skeptic, at most a Deist, put probably an atheist but a Tory and a supporter of the established church. He was a powerful advocate of clear thinking and human liberty. A decent man. A friend of Adam Smith and supporter of Rousseau during his visit to England. His most famous quotation was publicized in A.J. Ayer's Language, Truth, and Logic and ran something like this: "If you take in your hand any book of theology or school metaphysics, for instance, ask yourself "Does it contain anything of number or quantitative reason; does it contain anything of matter of fact or existence?" If not, commit it then to the flames, for it can contain nothing but sophistry or illusion." Right on, Dave!