Becker and Posner: Freedom of Speech and Public Intellectualship

History of Political Economy Vol. 45, No.1, 2013

Presented at the HOPE Conference on "The Economist as Public Intellectual", Duke University, April 13-15, 2012

22 Pages Posted: 27 Jun 2016 Last revised: 29 Jun 2016

See all articles by Jean-Baptiste Fleury

Jean-Baptiste Fleury

THEMA

Alain Marciano

Universita degli Studi di Torino; Karl Mittermaier Centre for Philosophy of Economics, University of Johannesburg; George Mason University - Mercatus Center

Date Written: February 1, 2012

Abstract

This essay analyzes what Gary S. Becker and Richard A. Posner have written for various media (either in print or online) that are not strictly aimed at academic audiences. We provide an historical account of how they became interested in such activities, from their first attempts, made independently from each other, to their joint venture on the Internet through The Becker-Posner Blog. In our description of their independent and then collaborative experiences, differences appear between Becker and Posner about how to be a public intellectual, but also similarities as to what that means and implies. From this perspective, the blog proves to be a further and crucial step in their career as public intellectuals. Both Becker and Posner use the blog for the freedom and flexibility it offers. They use it to develop a sort of “casual economic thinking” that they push farther than in any of their other writings, even as public intellectuals.

Suggested Citation

Fleury, Jean-Baptiste and Marciano, Alain, Becker and Posner: Freedom of Speech and Public Intellectualship (February 1, 2012). History of Political Economy Vol. 45, No.1, 2013, Presented at the HOPE Conference on "The Economist as Public Intellectual", Duke University, April 13-15, 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2800526

Jean-Baptiste Fleury (Contact Author)

THEMA ( email )

33 Boulevard du Port
Cergy-Pontoise Cedex, Cedex 95011
France

Alain Marciano

Universita degli Studi di Torino ( email )

Dipartimento di Economia e Statistica
Lungo Dora Siena, 100
Torino, 10153
Italy

Karl Mittermaier Centre for Philosophy of Economics, University of Johannesburg ( email )

Johannesburg
South Africa

George Mason University - Mercatus Center

VA
United States

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