I don’t particularly like math. I’ve never been a fan of magic either. For some reason, however, when I heard about a new book entitled Magical Mathematics
I have to say that it is really good, and I would highly recommend it to any nerd. It is a really artful melding of card tricks that are remarkable, with explanations of the underlying math concepts that are at one level so simple and clear that almost anyone could get the basic intuition for what they are talking about, but at another level so deep and difficult that it is probably hopeless for someone like me to ever truly understand.
It also got me thinking. I can’t name a single economist who has magic as a hobby or interest. I’m sure there are some, but it is extremely rare. Maybe love of magic among adults is just not very common, but I think it is something deeper. Whatever it is that makes someone like economics, I think it tends to make them not like magic.
Any theories or evidence on this question from blog readers?
and 
. You can also watch it on 
I imagine that performing a magic for an economist would be horrible. I envision them doing everything they can to ruin the trick as best as possible.
Magician (M): Pick a card, any card
Economist (E): Okay, I’ve selected one in my mind
M: no, physically remove a card from this deck
E: no, I’ve already chosen the card I want in my mind
M: well I can’t perform the trick if you don’t pull a card
E: i don’t want to be tricked
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
5 
0
As a mathematician, I promise you that the only obstacle to you understanding the mathematics in this book is your own belief that you are someone who can’t understand mathematics.
Don’t sell your profession short – you do have a Stand-Up Economist!
I’m not aware of any Mathematician that does comedy – at least not intentionally.
Magicians are usually very rational. Economists still cling to theories that people act rationally, so they’re basically nuts.
David Dicks at UNC finance worked as a magician
Nice to see that someone beat me to the punch. I had the pleasure of meeting this fellow while attending Babson College.
http://lpcprof.typepad.com/law_and_magic_blog/2009/05/babson-colleges-laurence-moss-dies.html
lol…I’m sure we are digging deep into the barrel of conversational oddities when we say it is remarkable that more economists don’t have magic as a hobby. It is like saying few concert violinists seem to enjoy luging.
That said, I’ll bet that both groups have a very advanced average age of losing their virginity.
Well, there just aren’t that many magicians in the first place!