Quote Originally Posted by Thorne View Post
This is kind of what happens with economic theory. Under the right conditions, those theories will explain what's happening. But when conditions are altered, generally by some pretty face, or a politician, or any of a number of absolutely inane possibilities, the theories can no longer be used as models. So the economists say, given a population of X, which has a disposable income of Y, performing Z actions will help the economy improve. Politicians say, great! Let's do that, and pass the required laws. Along with new tax laws, and new spending bills, and more appropriations, all of which alter the value of Y, making the whole equation worthless.
Well, reality - a world full of different and increasingly complicated and interrelated economies and wheather and natural disasters and politcal changes and wars and what not - is far too complicated for any theories.

A bigger problem is that economics are not science, a bunch of theories does not science make. Science means proving stuff, in ways that can be dublicated.

Further more, said theories are based on idelogies about what aught to happen if you do X Y and Z, sort of in a lab with no distraction from real life.