gwern comments on Gun Control: How would we know?

gwern 21 Dec 2012 17:36 UTC
2 points

Based on those kinds of calculations, teacher in service meetings or parent teacher conferences cost more lives than this school shooting.

Only if you quietly assume it has nothing to do with the important task of teaching.
- Randy_M 21 Dec 2012 19:33 UTC
  1 point
  Parent
  Right, that was the implication. I don’t think they tend to do much to improve the quality of babysitting. (Okay, somewhat harsh, but I was a teacher.)
  
  but surely even if they did, it wouldn’t be enough to justify the cost in strict utilitarian calculations like the above?
  - gwern 21 Dec 2012 20:24 UTC
    3 points
    Parent
    
    but surely even if they did, it wouldn’t be enough to justify the cost in strict utilitarian calculations like the above?
    
    I don’t know, why wouldn’t it be? A high-tech wealthy economy depends on education, with all the direct & indirect returns implied.