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The returns from reading are completely nonlinear. If you find yourself doing cost-benefit analysis on the benefits of reading, you're doing too much cost-bene

The returns from reading are completely nonlinear. If you find yourself doing cost-benefit analysis on the benefits of reading, you're doing too much cost-benefit analysis. Economic valuation of words and ideas is absurd.

unimpressive 15y ago
(Disclosure: I have never taken a financial math course.) http://www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Programs-Edition/dp/0070004846/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331484569&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Prog... Apparently at the time of writing it's worth $34.78 on paperback. You could argue that that's the printing costs. However, if I were to copy that book with a scanner and distribute it online for a cost of $0 it would be copyright infringement. Thus the words and ideas themselves must have some form of economic value. (Or at least perceived economic value.) You can already measure one variable associated with reading: Time spent. After all, by some metrics time translates to money and vice versa. And okay, the benefits of reading are nonlinear. So instead make it a probability. What is the chance that the book I am about to read will, even in conjunction with other books, will have justified the amount of time I spent reading it? (You can probably use some subjective measures here like happiness generated from fantasy.) In the case of reading to enrich your knowledge in a particular field you ask an important subset of that question: What is the chance that this book will, even in conjunction with other books, have a significant impact on my ability to work in my chosen field versus the chance that if I went and started one of my projects right now I would succeed? Theres more than one project I have right now for which I've said "Nope, need to do more reading.".
- Karunamon 15y ago
  >However, if I were to copy that book with a scanner and distribute it online for a cost of $0 it would be copyright infringement. Thus the words and ideas themselves must have some form of economic value. (Or at least perceived economic value.) Percieved, perhaps, but keep in mind that copyright is nothing more than a government granted monopoly. There is no requirement that something have a certain value (or even positive value) for copyright to apply. After all, just because I perceive my blog to be worth $1,000,000 doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot, even though it's copyrighted ;)

unimpressive 15y ago

(Disclosure: I have never taken a financial math course.) http://www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Programs-Edition/dp/0070004846/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331484569&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Prog... Apparently at the time of writing it's worth $34.78 on paperback. You could argue that that's the printing costs. However, if I were to copy that book with a scanner and distribute it online for a cost of $0 it would be copyright infringement. Thus the words and ideas themselves must have some form of economic value. (Or at least perceived economic value.) You can already measure one variable associated with reading: Time spent. After all, by some metrics time translates to money and vice versa. And okay, the benefits of reading are nonlinear. So instead make it a probability. What is the chance that the book I am about to read will, even in conjunction with other books, will have justified the amount of time I spent reading it? (You can probably use some subjective measures here like happiness generated from fantasy.) In the case of reading to enrich your knowledge in a particular field you ask an important subset of that question: What is the chance that this book will, even in conjunction with other books, have a significant impact on my ability to work in my chosen field versus the chance that if I went and started one of my projects right now I would succeed? Theres more than one project I have right now for which I've said "Nope, need to do more reading.".

Karunamon 15y ago
>However, if I were to copy that book with a scanner and distribute it online for a cost of $0 it would be copyright infringement. Thus the words and ideas themselves must have some form of economic value. (Or at least perceived economic value.) Percieved, perhaps, but keep in mind that copyright is nothing more than a government granted monopoly. There is no requirement that something have a certain value (or even positive value) for copyright to apply. After all, just because I perceive my blog to be worth $1,000,000 doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot, even though it's copyrighted ;)