Eugene Callahan
Overview
Position:
PhD Student
Email:
CallahanE@cardiff.ac.ukTelephone: +44(0)29 2087 5600
Fax: +44(0)29 2087 4946
Extension: 75600
Location: Room 2.26, 65-68 Park Place
PhD Research
The political system of the Roman Republic were based almost entirely on tradition, “the way of the ancestors,” rather than on a written constitution. While the founders of the American Republic looked to ancient Rome as a primary model for their enterprise, nevertheless, in line with the rationalist spirit of their age, the American founders attempted to create a rational set of rules that would guide the conduct of American politics, namely, the U.S. Constitution.
These two examples offer a striking case of the contrast, famously delineated by Michael Oakeshott in “Rationalism in Politics” and elsewhere, between politics as a practice grounded in tradition and politics as a system based on principles flowing from abstract reasoning. Given that, I plan to explore how closely do the histories of the two republics conform to Oakeshott’s claims about rational versus traditional politics. What factors led the American founders to partially reject and attempt to improve upon the Roman way? To what extent did the Roman lack of a written constitution contribute to the downfall of their republic? (Professor Garret Fagan feels it was crucial.) To what extent has the American reliance on written rules contributed to the American state taking on a form quite different from that envisioned by the founders?
Teaching
Adjunct Professor of Economics, SUNY Purchase, 2010
Publications
Books
Economics for Real People: An Introduction to the Austrian School, 2nd. Edition 2004, Auburn, Alabama: Ludwig von Mises Institute.
Book Chapters
“Ideal Types and Austrian Business Cycle Theory,” forthcoming in Advances in Austrian Economics (with Steve Horwitz).
“History Is Not Geography: A Critique of Jared Diamond,” forthcoming in The Meanings of Michael Oakeshott's Conservatism.
“The Right to Exit: An Apologetic for Panarchism,” in Adam Knott (ed.), Panarchy: Essays in the New Political Philosophy, 2008.
“Calming Corporate Immune Systems: Overcoming Risk Aversion,” co-authored with Gifford Pinchot, in Larry L. Constantine (ed.), Beyond Chaos: The Expert Edge in Managing Software Development., ACM Press Addison-Wesley (Boston: 2001), ISBN 0-201-71960-6.
“Developing Your Intranet Strategy,” co-authored with Cynthia Esposito, in Black Belt Web Programming Methods: Servers, Security, Databases, and Sites, Publisher’s Group West (1997), ISBN 0879304979.
“Web Configuration Management,” co-authored with Mary Hopkins, in Black Belt Web Programming Methods: Servers, Security, Databases, and Sites, Publisher’s Group West (1997), ISBN 0879304979.
Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals
“Does Austrian Business Cycle Theory Help Explain the Dot-Com Boom and Bust?“ Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics, Volume 6, Number 2, 2003 (with Roger Garrison).
“Is There a Right to Immigration? A Libertarian Perspective,” Human Rights Review, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2003 (with Walter Block).
“The Career of Robert Moses: City Planning as a Microcosm of Socialism,” Independent Review, Fall 2004 (with Sanford Ikeda).
“Mises and Oakeshott on Understanding Human Action,” Independent Review, Fall 2005.
“The Paradox of Coase as a Defender of Free Markets,” NYU Journal of Law and Liberty, Spring 2006 (with Walter Block and William Barnett).
“Hans-Hermann Hoppe’s Argumentation Ethic: A Critique,” Journal of Libertarian Studies, Spring 2006 (with Robert P. Murphy).
“The Necessity of the A Priori,” Critical Review, Vol. 18, No. 4, 2007.
“Ideal Types and the Historical Method,” Collingwood and British Idealism Studies, Vol. 13, No. 1, 2007.
“Reconciling Weber and Mises on Understanding Human Action,” Vol. 66, Issue 5, 2007, American Journal Of Economics and Sociology.
“Economics and Its Modes,” Vol. 14, No. 2, 2008, Collingwood and British Idealism Studies.
“The Challenge of Akrasia for the Theory of Rational Choice,” Vol. 22: 43-52, 2009, Review of Austrian Economics.
“The Misconception of History in The Black Swan,” forthcoming, Critical Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, Fall 2009.
“Is There a Distinct and Valid Libertarian Form of Historical Understanding?” forthcoming, Journal of Libertarian Studie
“Critical Realism or Critical Idealism,” forthcoming, International Journal of Social Economics.
“Comment on Kirzner versus Klein- Briggeman,” forthcoming, Journal of Private Enterprise.
“Scientism in the Way of Science,” under consideration, Economics and Philosophy (with Peter Leeson).
Review Essays
Bryan Caplan, The Myth of the Rational Voter, Winter 2009, Independent Review.
Nicholas Nassim Taleb, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, Vol. 22: 361-364, 2008, Review of Austrian Economics.
Book Reviews
Steve Keen, Debunking Economics, Review of Austrian Economics, Vol. 16, No. 4, 2003 (with Robert P. Murphy).
Peter Lewin, Capital in Disequilibrium: The Role of Capital in a Changing World, Review of Austrian Economics, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2004.
Paul Franco, Michael Oakeshott: An Introduction, Independent Review, Fall 2005.
Daniel M. Hausman and Michael S. McPherson, Economic Analysis, Moral Philosophy, and Public Policy,Independent Review Summer 2008.
Jon Elster, Reason and Rationality, forthcoming, Review of Political Economy.
Conference Papers and Commentaries
“Critical Realism or Critical Idealism?” Workshops in Political Theory, Manchester Metropolitan University, September 2009.
“Would Better Constitutional Design Have Saved the Roman Republic?” NYU Colloquium on Market Institutions & Economic Processes, March 2009
“Ideal Types and Austrian Business Cycle Theory,” Eastern Economic Association Meeting, New York City, February 2009 (with Steven Horwitz).
“The Case for (and Some Caveats about) Pluralism in Economics,” Cambridge University Critical Realism Workshop, Cambridge, England, February 2009.
“The Case for (and Some Caveats about) Pluralism in Economics,” British Idealism Conference, Gregynog, Wales, December 2008.
“Ideal Types and Austrian Business Cycle Theory,” Southern Economic Association Meeting, Washington, DC, November 2008 (with Steven Horwitz).
“The Challenge of Akrasia for the Theory of Rational Choice,” Eastern Economic Association Meetings, March 2008.
“The Challenge of Akrasia for the Theory of Rational Choice,” NYU Colloquium on Market Institutions & Economic Processes, February 2008.
“Ideal Types and the Historical Method,” British Idealism Conference, Gregynog, Wales, December 2007.
“Reconciling Weber and Mises on Understanding Human Action,” Southern Economic Association, Charleston, South Carolina, November 2006.
“Reconciling Weber and Mises on Understanding Human Action,” NYU Colloquium on Market Institutions & Economic Processes, Fall 2006.
“History Is Not Geography: A Critique of Jared Diamond,” APEE Conference, Spring 2006.
“History Is Not Geography: A Critique of Jared Diamond,” Michael Oakeshott Association Conference, June 2006.
“Does Economics Suffer from a Confusion of Categorially Distinct Inquiries?” London School of Economics, AHE “Pluralism in Economics” series, January 2005.
“Mises and Oakeshott on Understanding Human Action,” NYU Colloquium on Market Institutions & Economic Processes, Spring 2004.
“Mises and Oakeshott on Understanding Human Action,” Southern Economic Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 2003.
“Mises and Oakeshott on Understanding Human Action,” Michael Oakeshott Association Conference, Fall 2003.
“The Road to Liberty,” Henry Hazlitt Memorial Lecture at the Austrian Scholars Conference 9, March 2003
“Does the Dot-com Boom and Bust Provide Evidence for the Austrian Theory of the Business Cycle?” (with Roger Garrison) George Mason University Workshop in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, Spring 2003.
“Does the Dot-com Boom and Bust Provide Evidence for the Austrian Theory of the Business Cycle?” (with Roger Garrison) NYU Colloquium on Market Institutions & Economic Processes, Spring 2003.
“Does the Dot-com Boom and Bust Provide Evidence for the Austrian Theory of the Business Cycle?” (with Roger Garrison) Southern Economic Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 2002.
Biography
Academic History
BA Philosophy of the Social Sciences from Charter Oak State College, 2003.
MSc Philosophy of the Social Sciences from London School of Economics, 2005.
Dissertation on pluralism in economics.
PhD at Cardiff University, from 2006.
Other relevant experience
Adjunct Faculty member, Ludwig von Mises Institute
Charter member, Michael Oakeshott Association
Member, Society for the Development of Austrian Economics
Consulting editor, Episteme