Um brilhante economista em terrenos difíceis mas estimulantes

Na sequência desta notícia, Neutrinos and Appomatox, por Steve Landsburg:

Scientists at CERN have found apparent evidence that neutrinos can travel faster than light.

Suppose that tomorrow historians at Harvard find apparent evidence that the South won the American Civil War — not in some metaphorical “they accomplished their goals” sense, but in the literal sense that it was actually Grant who handed his sword to Lee at Appomatox and not the other way around.

Question: Of which conclusion would you be more skeptical?

Of course your answer might depend on exactly what this new “apparent evidence” consists of. So let me reword: As of this moment, which do you think is more likely — that neutrinos can travel faster than light, or that the South won the Civil War?

Uma chamada de atenção para a qualidade de muitas das intervenções registadas na caixa de comentários de Landsburg. Não deixem de as ler.

(Também publicado no Estado Sentido)