Ryan V. Safner

I am a 1st-year Ph.D student studying economics at George Mason University.  I hold a B.A. in economics from the University of Connecticut.

My main research interests are Law & Economics, New Institutional Economics, Austrian Economics, Development Economics, Agent-Based Modeling and Political Economy. Additionally, I find a lot of other topics interesting as well.

My goals are to popularize abstract and philosophical concepts in language that anyone can understand.  For me personally, that includes teaching the subject I find to be key to understanding society – economics.  All of my work beckons readers to think critically and reach their own conclusions unrestrained.  I have traveled my own intellectual odyssey over the years, and take pride in the fact that I can change my beliefs quickly in light of new evidence.  I only want to inspire the spark in others to do the same.

I blog, with several friends and colleagues, at sporder.net.  Sporder, (short for spontaneous order) analyzes the various emergent phenomena in our world, both in social contexts and other realms, especially through virtual worlds (online games) and points out the principles that govern our human societies.

I used to have a fairly extensive blog here on current events, politics, finance, economics, and psychology – but I decided to take it down.  If you’re looking for a post or an article that you remember I wrote, email me – I still have them all.

I also have a YouTube channel where I make educational videos on Economics, as well as occasionally comment on current events and public policy.

I consider myself a “Libertarian Emergentist” because I believe (normatively) that people should be free to do whatever they want so long as they do not harm another, and (positively) that the best way to achieve liberty, efficiency, and complexity is to allow individuals to voluntarily interact with each other under common law.  Most significantly, these premises imply a lack of State.

I’d much rather study something in depth and analyze all of its implications in solace or a private discussion than adhere to a dogma and argue polemics in fiery public debates (though I’m not incapable of doing just that).