2 Quotes by John Quiggin

In philosophical terms, the opposite of rationalism is not irrationalism but empiricism, that is, a willingness to form beliefs on the basis of experience rather than from a priori deduction. Empirical evidence never yields the dogmatic certainty that accompanies logical deduction.

It seems strange to make a priori arguments about the relative performance of governments and the markets in health care when there is so much empirical evidence.