The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#1

Post by dirtyaura » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 8:51 PM UTC

The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]
princeton.edu

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#2

Post by crimsonalucard » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:17 PM UTC

I'm actually more interested in the theory behind how he got a grant to write this. Interesting nonetheless!

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#3

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:21 PM UTC

crimsonalucard wrote: post #2

I'm actually more interested in the theory behind how he got a grant to write this. Interesting nonetheless!

[deleted]

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#4

Post by GabrielF00 » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:21 PM UTC

crimsonalucard wrote: post #2

I'm actually more interested in the theory behind how he got a grant to write this. Interesting nonetheless!

I think that line was a joke.

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#5

Post by AceJohnny2 » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:25 PM UTC

I believe cstross's book Neptune's Brood is based on ideas from this paper.

http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2014/09/crib-she...

Which is funny, considering older Krugman's a fan of Stross's other book series The Merchant Princes, which also tries to have a solid economic backbone.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/11/more-science-fic...

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#6

Post by happyscrappy » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:31 PM UTC

"This paper extends interplanetary trade theory to an interstellar setting. It is chiefly concerned with the following question: How should interest charges on goods in transit be computed when goods travel at close to the speed of light? This is a problem because the time taken in transit will appear less to an observer traveling with the goods than to a stationary observer. A solution is derived from economic theory, and two useless but true theorems are proved."

He goes on to say this work may have some galactic relevance and that the force is with him.

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#7

Post by GregBuchholz » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:32 PM UTC

GabrielF00 wrote: post #4

crimsonalucard wrote: post #2

I'm actually more interested in the theory behind how he got a grant to write this. Interesting nonetheless!

I think that line was a joke.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Fleece_Award

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#8

Post by BerislavLopac » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:38 PM UTC

This is essentially The Martian of the pre-Internet era.

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#9

Post by GregBuchholz » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:39 PM UTC

More interesting is what resources or products would be potential candidates for interstellar trade.

Re: The Theory of Interstellar Trade (1978) [pdf]

#10

Post by Shivetya » Fri, Jan 23, 2015, 9:46 PM UTC

GregBuchholz wrote: post #9

More interesting is what resources or products would be potential candidates for interstellar trade.

hard science, art, and entertainment?