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No, this is neither Bryan Caplan nor Robin Hanson
It's Sir Thomas Browne, one of my favorite writers I might add, circa 1672:
Again, Their individual imperfections being great, they are moreover enlarged by their aggregation; and being erroneous in their single numbers, once hudled together, they will be Error it self. For being a confusion of knaves and fools, and a farraginous concurrence of all conditions, tempers, sexes, and ages; it is but natural if their determinations be monstrous, and many waies inconsistent with Truth. And therefore wise men have alwaies applauded their own judgment, in the contradiction of that of the People; and their soberest adversaries, have ever afforded them the stile of fools and mad men; and, to speak impartially, their actions have made good these Epithets.
You'll find the full passage here. The point resembles Bryan but there is something about the spirit which reminds me more of Robin. It's one of my favorite pastimes to find passages in early texts which in some way presage Robin Hanson; this means having to reread Gulliver's Travels every now and then. By the way, the Burial Urn and the Garden of Cyrus are probably Browne's most compelling works.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on May 17, 2008 at 06:22 AM in Philosophy | Permalink
Comments
Thank you for a fascinating link.
"Obliged to honour a notable local, the name of the Mayor of Norwich was proposed to the King for knighthood. The Mayor, however, declined the honour and proposed the name of Browne instead." They don't make 'em like that anymore.
On the other hand: ahem.
"Few people love the writings of Sir Thomas Browne, but those that do are the salt of the earth."
Posted by: dearieme at May 17, 2008 9:51:13 AM
So Revolt of the Masses must be between your favorites. along with Saaint Petersburg soirees
Posted by: karl at May 17, 2008 4:31:02 PM






