BA in Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy from Indiana University, Bloomington | Graduate Certificate in Economics from Michigan State University through the American Economic Association | Research Associate | PhD Economic Researcher at West Virginia University Phone: 812-498-5351
This paper measures and analyzes explicit returns to United States firms through lobbying efforts... more This paper measures and analyzes explicit returns to United States firms through lobbying efforts and motivated expenditures at the federal level. The dependent variables of interest in this analysis are unrecognized tax benefits and adjusted marginal tax rates. Using a combination of multiple linear regression and system/dynamic generalized method of moments analysis on a panel of firm level data, I find statistically significant and economically substantial beneficial returns to the dependent variables for firms upon increase in annual lobbying expenditures, particularly when such firms are more profitable. New contributions to the empirical investigation of lobbying include the use of previously unexplored and updated variables of interest for firms and public policy considerations; modeling and computation successfully addressing endogeneity, reverse causality, and autocorrelation concerns in prior quantitative research; updated time frames for observed data; and improved robustness checks of models to demonstrate the persistence of computational results. The implications of the results for theoretical explanations of lobbying, perspective on U.S. lobbying, and possible implications for policy are investigated and found to offer support for public choice analyses of political behavior in that the new results are consistent with models explaining lobbying primarily as a result of self-interested behavior and rent-seeking efforts from agents.
In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulati... more In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulations of the psychological criterion for personal identity and attempts a strategy of criticizing each formulation of the psychological theory. This is done in order to conclude that a physical theory must be the only remaining viable sufficient candidate for explaining personal identity that is both necessary and sufficient, despite its theoretical weaknesses. This paper seeks to analyze Thomson's critique and explain why her chosen formulations of psychological criterion are inadequate and easy to refine against some of her rather hasty objections. In addition, counterarguments in favor of an 'impure' psychological criterion for personal identity are presented in the hopes of clarifying the philosophical discourse
In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulati... more In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulations of the psychological criterion for personal identity and attempts a strategy of criticizing each formulation of the psychological theory. This is done in order to conclude that a physical theory must be the only remaining viable sufficient candidate for explaining personal identity that is both necessary and sufficient, despite its theoretical weaknesses. This paper seeks to analyze Thomson's critique and explain why her chosen formulations of psychological criterion are inadequate and easy to refine against some of her rather hasty objections. In addition, counterarguments in favor of an 'impure' psychological criterion for personal identity are presented in the hopes of clarifying the philosophical discourse
The Philosophy of Personal Identity bears a rich tradition dating back to some of the seminal psy... more The Philosophy of Personal Identity bears a rich tradition dating back to some of the seminal psychological theory of identity forwarded by John Locke. In this essay, I propose a new variation of an imperfect psychological criterion of personal identity that attempts to precisely answer the question, "What is necessary and sufficient for a person to be the same person over time?" Though various experts in this field such as Derek Parfit have forwarded skepticism and outright rejection of conventional theories of personal identity, this paper appeals to metaphysical notions of immanent causality in an effort to respond to Parfit and formulate a framework of identity that explains and satisfies what are often closely held intuitions on personhood.
This paper measures and analyzes explicit returns to United States firms through lobbying efforts... more This paper measures and analyzes explicit returns to United States firms through lobbying efforts. The variables of interest in this analysis are unrecognized tax benefits and adjusted marginal tax rate as calculated by Blouin et al. (2010). Using a combination of linear regression and system and dynamic generalized method of moments analysis on a panel of firm level data, I find statistically significant and economically substantial returns to the dependent variables upon increase in lobbying expenditure, particularly for more profitable firms. The implications of the results for theory and possible economic and political explanations for the results are investigated and found to offer support for public choice analyses of political behavior.
Robert Nozick may be most remembered for his part in the revival of analytical political philosop... more Robert Nozick may be most remembered for his part in the revival of analytical political philosophy in 1974 with the book Anarchy, State, and Utopia. A number of criticisms have since been leveled toward the work by political philosophers of various views, particularly G. A. Cohen. This essay serves to clarify the discourse surrounding some of Cohen's key criticisms to Nozick's philosophy, particularly through the tool of his famous Wilt Chamberlain thought experiment. I proceed by revisiting Nozick's argument for societal justice and seeking to counter the objections raised by Cohen in his work, "Nozick and Wilt Chamberlain: How Patterns Preserve Liberty.” I ultimately find that many of Cohen's criticisms of Nozick are hasty and do not lead to necessary flaws in Nozick's argument concerning the preservation of justice.
This paper seeks to establish evidence for the existence of systematic irrationality in the democ... more This paper seeks to establish evidence for the existence of systematic irrationality in the democratic voting of the 2016 United States Presidential election. From results of some of the key movements and deviations during the electoral process, the electoral victory of President Donald Trump is scrutinized under the theoretical lens of Brian Caplan's theory of rational irrationality and found to offer empirical support. Furthermore, the paper seeks to investigate the possible regulatory policy implications of elected officials chosen on the basis of systematic bias and determine their possible impact.
People v. Goetz is a decisive and often cited case in American criminal law due to not only the c... more People v. Goetz is a decisive and often cited case in American criminal law due to not only the controversy of the case itself, but the philosophical and legal scrutiny that it has placed on objective tests for reasonableness in assessing whether a violent action constitutes self-defense. I seek to argue in this paper that the objective test applied to Goetz for reasonable self-defense is inadequate due its failure to comport to the reality of often instinctual and subjectively-case sensitive decisions towards violence. The reasonableness requirement's most fundamental flaw to be exposed in this writing is the unnecessary and strenuous liability it places on individuals in psychologically challenging situations where they may not have time to reasonably assess all legally relevant factors in their often reactive self-defense decisions. This paper uses this reality as a basis for arguing against the weighty injustice placed by the Model Penal Code's purely objective standard for non-legal professionals.
Merlin is perhaps one of the most enigmatic, fascinating, and dynamic characters within the broad... more Merlin is perhaps one of the most enigmatic, fascinating, and dynamic characters within the broad tradition of Arthurian Literature. This short essay is an attempt to argue for the drastic evolution of Merlin's character between two seminal works of Arthurian Literature: Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory written in the 14th century, and The Once and Future King by T.H. White written in 1958. While how the character Merlin is presented and relates to the main character Arthur is deeply analyzed, further investigation is made into the lives of the authors behind each of the portrayals of Merlin to determine how their respective backgrounds and motivations may have influenced the way that they conceived the Merlin role. Ultimately, this analysis hopes to argue for the existence of a continuity to Merlin's character between the centuries-separated works that serves as testament to the archetypal depth and literary impact of the character across time.
The aggregate supply and demand model is a foundational tool in macroeconomic analysis that is es... more The aggregate supply and demand model is a foundational tool in macroeconomic analysis that is especially useful for interpreting macroeconomic data and making predications based on the relations between GDP and price level indices. This short paper attempts to determine the empirical verifiability of the model by using statistics obtained from the Federal Reserve Economic Database of St. Louis.
This paper seeks to argue that the notion of executive prerogative forwarded by John Locke as a n... more This paper seeks to argue that the notion of executive prerogative forwarded by John Locke as a necessary political tool for a sovereign to exercise in times of national emergency is not practically or theoretically suitable in a modern context. Furthermore, the paper seeks to reveal a theoretical tension between Locke's idea of executive prerogative and more valuable foundational political ideas such natural rights and social contract theory.
This essay is premised on the supposition that many of the foundational disagreements on the role... more This essay is premised on the supposition that many of the foundational disagreements on the role of higher education in American society can be synthesized into three major themes: whether college education is a privilege or right, whether college education is a predominantly public or private good, and who or what benefits the most from the traditional college education. This essay attempts to outline a coherent conception of education that encompasses three themes and ultimately concludes that education is most effectively and fully to be understood as a largely private privilege for the individual with potentially positive public externalities if of a particular type and distribution. Potential counterarguments and insight into the theoretical shortcomings of considering higher education a public right in its diversity are presented and expounded upon.
This paper seeks to critically evaluate the retributivist theory of punishment, making use of Jea... more This paper seeks to critically evaluate the retributivist theory of punishment, making use of Jean Hampton’s writing "Forgiveness and Mercy" to make sense of the idea of retribution and to explain it in a way that distinguishes it from revenge.
This paper attempts to argue for a defense of Frank Jackson's seminal Knowledge Argument against ... more This paper attempts to argue for a defense of Frank Jackson's seminal Knowledge Argument against metaphysical materialism. By first presenting the argument and then directly responding to notable objections from philosophical academia, I seek to demonstrate not that Jackson's argument is certainly sound in its refutation of materialism, but that the degree of confidence with which his premises imply his conclusion ultimately establish a form of property dualism as more philosophically tenable and likely than any variant of materialism.
This brief research paper is intended as a rudimentary historical analysis of the immediate polit... more This brief research paper is intended as a rudimentary historical analysis of the immediate political, societal, and economic effects from 133 to 121 BC of the political and policy-oriented measures undertaken by tribunes Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus within the Roman Republic.
The argument forwarded by the paper asserts that, had the Gracchi brothers been more receptive to political compromise and less audacious in their policy pursuits, that more gradual reforms of Roman agrarian policy would have likely been more attainable. Academic resources utilized for the paper's formation include "Shotter, D. The Fall of the Roman Republic. London: Routledge, 1996," and, "Mackay, Christopher S. The Breakdown of the Roman Republic: From Oligarchy to Empire. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009," as well as the primary accounts of Greek chronicler Plutarch.
This paper appeals to several primary and secondary sources on the history of the Roman Republic ... more This paper appeals to several primary and secondary sources on the history of the Roman Republic to argue that Gaius Octavian Caesar during the final years of the Roman Republic possessed significant political and military advantage over Marc Antony. This paper seeks to establish that by remaining in the city of Rome in the Western Republic, Octavian Caesar collected a series of advantages that are ultimately responsible for his victory and ascendence as the first emperor of the Roman Empire.
The 19th and 20th centuries in western civilization revealed new attitudes towards nationalism an... more The 19th and 20th centuries in western civilization revealed new attitudes towards nationalism and militarism with disastrous implications for the whole of human life. In the history of ideas, investigating the writings of intellectuals, the elite, and the common man during this period has the potential for clarifying why these attitudes arose and how indelibly their influence shaped the thinking of 19th and 20th century western societies. This paper will explore societal attitudes predominantly in western and central Europe towards violence by dissecting the vacuum left by retreating societal institutions of the Middle Ages and Enlightenment. The way that Europeans largely approached and often glorified violence during this period and immediately prior will also be examined to gain closer insight into the ideologies that led nations into catastrophe.
In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulati... more In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulations of the psychological criterion for personal identity and attempts a strategy of criticizing each formulation of the psychological theory. This is done in order to conclude that a physical theory must be the only remaining viable sufficient candidate for explaining personal identity that is both necessary and sufficient, despite its theoretical weaknesses. This paper seeks to analyze Thomson's critique and explain why her chosen formulations of psychological criterion are inadequate and easy to refine against some of her rather hasty objections. In addition, counterarguments in favor of an 'impure' psychological criterion for personal identity are presented in the hopes of clarifying the philosophical discourse.
This paper measures and analyzes explicit returns to United States firms through lobbying efforts... more This paper measures and analyzes explicit returns to United States firms through lobbying efforts and motivated expenditures at the federal level. The dependent variables of interest in this analysis are unrecognized tax benefits and adjusted marginal tax rates. Using a combination of multiple linear regression and system/dynamic generalized method of moments analysis on a panel of firm level data, I find statistically significant and economically substantial beneficial returns to the dependent variables for firms upon increase in annual lobbying expenditures, particularly when such firms are more profitable. New contributions to the empirical investigation of lobbying include the use of previously unexplored and updated variables of interest for firms and public policy considerations; modeling and computation successfully addressing endogeneity, reverse causality, and autocorrelation concerns in prior quantitative research; updated time frames for observed data; and improved robustness checks of models to demonstrate the persistence of computational results. The implications of the results for theoretical explanations of lobbying, perspective on U.S. lobbying, and possible implications for policy are investigated and found to offer support for public choice analyses of political behavior in that the new results are consistent with models explaining lobbying primarily as a result of self-interested behavior and rent-seeking efforts from agents.
In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulati... more In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulations of the psychological criterion for personal identity and attempts a strategy of criticizing each formulation of the psychological theory. This is done in order to conclude that a physical theory must be the only remaining viable sufficient candidate for explaining personal identity that is both necessary and sufficient, despite its theoretical weaknesses. This paper seeks to analyze Thomson's critique and explain why her chosen formulations of psychological criterion are inadequate and easy to refine against some of her rather hasty objections. In addition, counterarguments in favor of an 'impure' psychological criterion for personal identity are presented in the hopes of clarifying the philosophical discourse
In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulati... more In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulations of the psychological criterion for personal identity and attempts a strategy of criticizing each formulation of the psychological theory. This is done in order to conclude that a physical theory must be the only remaining viable sufficient candidate for explaining personal identity that is both necessary and sufficient, despite its theoretical weaknesses. This paper seeks to analyze Thomson's critique and explain why her chosen formulations of psychological criterion are inadequate and easy to refine against some of her rather hasty objections. In addition, counterarguments in favor of an 'impure' psychological criterion for personal identity are presented in the hopes of clarifying the philosophical discourse
The Philosophy of Personal Identity bears a rich tradition dating back to some of the seminal psy... more The Philosophy of Personal Identity bears a rich tradition dating back to some of the seminal psychological theory of identity forwarded by John Locke. In this essay, I propose a new variation of an imperfect psychological criterion of personal identity that attempts to precisely answer the question, "What is necessary and sufficient for a person to be the same person over time?" Though various experts in this field such as Derek Parfit have forwarded skepticism and outright rejection of conventional theories of personal identity, this paper appeals to metaphysical notions of immanent causality in an effort to respond to Parfit and formulate a framework of identity that explains and satisfies what are often closely held intuitions on personhood.
This paper measures and analyzes explicit returns to United States firms through lobbying efforts... more This paper measures and analyzes explicit returns to United States firms through lobbying efforts. The variables of interest in this analysis are unrecognized tax benefits and adjusted marginal tax rate as calculated by Blouin et al. (2010). Using a combination of linear regression and system and dynamic generalized method of moments analysis on a panel of firm level data, I find statistically significant and economically substantial returns to the dependent variables upon increase in lobbying expenditure, particularly for more profitable firms. The implications of the results for theory and possible economic and political explanations for the results are investigated and found to offer support for public choice analyses of political behavior.
Robert Nozick may be most remembered for his part in the revival of analytical political philosop... more Robert Nozick may be most remembered for his part in the revival of analytical political philosophy in 1974 with the book Anarchy, State, and Utopia. A number of criticisms have since been leveled toward the work by political philosophers of various views, particularly G. A. Cohen. This essay serves to clarify the discourse surrounding some of Cohen's key criticisms to Nozick's philosophy, particularly through the tool of his famous Wilt Chamberlain thought experiment. I proceed by revisiting Nozick's argument for societal justice and seeking to counter the objections raised by Cohen in his work, "Nozick and Wilt Chamberlain: How Patterns Preserve Liberty.” I ultimately find that many of Cohen's criticisms of Nozick are hasty and do not lead to necessary flaws in Nozick's argument concerning the preservation of justice.
This paper seeks to establish evidence for the existence of systematic irrationality in the democ... more This paper seeks to establish evidence for the existence of systematic irrationality in the democratic voting of the 2016 United States Presidential election. From results of some of the key movements and deviations during the electoral process, the electoral victory of President Donald Trump is scrutinized under the theoretical lens of Brian Caplan's theory of rational irrationality and found to offer empirical support. Furthermore, the paper seeks to investigate the possible regulatory policy implications of elected officials chosen on the basis of systematic bias and determine their possible impact.
People v. Goetz is a decisive and often cited case in American criminal law due to not only the c... more People v. Goetz is a decisive and often cited case in American criminal law due to not only the controversy of the case itself, but the philosophical and legal scrutiny that it has placed on objective tests for reasonableness in assessing whether a violent action constitutes self-defense. I seek to argue in this paper that the objective test applied to Goetz for reasonable self-defense is inadequate due its failure to comport to the reality of often instinctual and subjectively-case sensitive decisions towards violence. The reasonableness requirement's most fundamental flaw to be exposed in this writing is the unnecessary and strenuous liability it places on individuals in psychologically challenging situations where they may not have time to reasonably assess all legally relevant factors in their often reactive self-defense decisions. This paper uses this reality as a basis for arguing against the weighty injustice placed by the Model Penal Code's purely objective standard for non-legal professionals.
Merlin is perhaps one of the most enigmatic, fascinating, and dynamic characters within the broad... more Merlin is perhaps one of the most enigmatic, fascinating, and dynamic characters within the broad tradition of Arthurian Literature. This short essay is an attempt to argue for the drastic evolution of Merlin's character between two seminal works of Arthurian Literature: Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory written in the 14th century, and The Once and Future King by T.H. White written in 1958. While how the character Merlin is presented and relates to the main character Arthur is deeply analyzed, further investigation is made into the lives of the authors behind each of the portrayals of Merlin to determine how their respective backgrounds and motivations may have influenced the way that they conceived the Merlin role. Ultimately, this analysis hopes to argue for the existence of a continuity to Merlin's character between the centuries-separated works that serves as testament to the archetypal depth and literary impact of the character across time.
The aggregate supply and demand model is a foundational tool in macroeconomic analysis that is es... more The aggregate supply and demand model is a foundational tool in macroeconomic analysis that is especially useful for interpreting macroeconomic data and making predications based on the relations between GDP and price level indices. This short paper attempts to determine the empirical verifiability of the model by using statistics obtained from the Federal Reserve Economic Database of St. Louis.
This paper seeks to argue that the notion of executive prerogative forwarded by John Locke as a n... more This paper seeks to argue that the notion of executive prerogative forwarded by John Locke as a necessary political tool for a sovereign to exercise in times of national emergency is not practically or theoretically suitable in a modern context. Furthermore, the paper seeks to reveal a theoretical tension between Locke's idea of executive prerogative and more valuable foundational political ideas such natural rights and social contract theory.
This essay is premised on the supposition that many of the foundational disagreements on the role... more This essay is premised on the supposition that many of the foundational disagreements on the role of higher education in American society can be synthesized into three major themes: whether college education is a privilege or right, whether college education is a predominantly public or private good, and who or what benefits the most from the traditional college education. This essay attempts to outline a coherent conception of education that encompasses three themes and ultimately concludes that education is most effectively and fully to be understood as a largely private privilege for the individual with potentially positive public externalities if of a particular type and distribution. Potential counterarguments and insight into the theoretical shortcomings of considering higher education a public right in its diversity are presented and expounded upon.
This paper seeks to critically evaluate the retributivist theory of punishment, making use of Jea... more This paper seeks to critically evaluate the retributivist theory of punishment, making use of Jean Hampton’s writing "Forgiveness and Mercy" to make sense of the idea of retribution and to explain it in a way that distinguishes it from revenge.
This paper attempts to argue for a defense of Frank Jackson's seminal Knowledge Argument against ... more This paper attempts to argue for a defense of Frank Jackson's seminal Knowledge Argument against metaphysical materialism. By first presenting the argument and then directly responding to notable objections from philosophical academia, I seek to demonstrate not that Jackson's argument is certainly sound in its refutation of materialism, but that the degree of confidence with which his premises imply his conclusion ultimately establish a form of property dualism as more philosophically tenable and likely than any variant of materialism.
This brief research paper is intended as a rudimentary historical analysis of the immediate polit... more This brief research paper is intended as a rudimentary historical analysis of the immediate political, societal, and economic effects from 133 to 121 BC of the political and policy-oriented measures undertaken by tribunes Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus within the Roman Republic.
The argument forwarded by the paper asserts that, had the Gracchi brothers been more receptive to political compromise and less audacious in their policy pursuits, that more gradual reforms of Roman agrarian policy would have likely been more attainable. Academic resources utilized for the paper's formation include "Shotter, D. The Fall of the Roman Republic. London: Routledge, 1996," and, "Mackay, Christopher S. The Breakdown of the Roman Republic: From Oligarchy to Empire. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009," as well as the primary accounts of Greek chronicler Plutarch.
This paper appeals to several primary and secondary sources on the history of the Roman Republic ... more This paper appeals to several primary and secondary sources on the history of the Roman Republic to argue that Gaius Octavian Caesar during the final years of the Roman Republic possessed significant political and military advantage over Marc Antony. This paper seeks to establish that by remaining in the city of Rome in the Western Republic, Octavian Caesar collected a series of advantages that are ultimately responsible for his victory and ascendence as the first emperor of the Roman Empire.
The 19th and 20th centuries in western civilization revealed new attitudes towards nationalism an... more The 19th and 20th centuries in western civilization revealed new attitudes towards nationalism and militarism with disastrous implications for the whole of human life. In the history of ideas, investigating the writings of intellectuals, the elite, and the common man during this period has the potential for clarifying why these attitudes arose and how indelibly their influence shaped the thinking of 19th and 20th century western societies. This paper will explore societal attitudes predominantly in western and central Europe towards violence by dissecting the vacuum left by retreating societal institutions of the Middle Ages and Enlightenment. The way that Europeans largely approached and often glorified violence during this period and immediately prior will also be examined to gain closer insight into the ideologies that led nations into catastrophe.
In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulati... more In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulations of the psychological criterion for personal identity and attempts a strategy of criticizing each formulation of the psychological theory. This is done in order to conclude that a physical theory must be the only remaining viable sufficient candidate for explaining personal identity that is both necessary and sufficient, despite its theoretical weaknesses. This paper seeks to analyze Thomson's critique and explain why her chosen formulations of psychological criterion are inadequate and easy to refine against some of her rather hasty objections. In addition, counterarguments in favor of an 'impure' psychological criterion for personal identity are presented in the hopes of clarifying the philosophical discourse.
An experimental proposal I formulated as an undergraduate in economics to expand on the endowment... more An experimental proposal I formulated as an undergraduate in economics to expand on the endowment effect literature by specifically seeking to create a flexible design for determining the degree that the "endowment effect" often observed in behavioral economics, contrary to much established theory, may be observed to exist specifically in capital markets. I seek to expand the paper with a more sophisticated definition of capital and a more thorough literature review. However, overall model appears flexible for determining if a proxy for goods used only as intermediate means of acquiring other final goods, or capital, is prone to endowment considerations violating theoretically predicted outcomes.
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The argument forwarded by the paper asserts that, had the Gracchi brothers been more receptive to political compromise and less audacious in their policy pursuits, that more gradual reforms of Roman agrarian policy would have likely been more attainable. Academic resources utilized for the paper's formation include "Shotter, D. The Fall of the Roman Republic. London: Routledge, 1996," and, "Mackay, Christopher S. The Breakdown of the Roman Republic: From Oligarchy to Empire. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009," as well as the primary accounts of Greek chronicler Plutarch.
The argument forwarded by the paper asserts that, had the Gracchi brothers been more receptive to political compromise and less audacious in their policy pursuits, that more gradual reforms of Roman agrarian policy would have likely been more attainable. Academic resources utilized for the paper's formation include "Shotter, D. The Fall of the Roman Republic. London: Routledge, 1996," and, "Mackay, Christopher S. The Breakdown of the Roman Republic: From Oligarchy to Empire. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009," as well as the primary accounts of Greek chronicler Plutarch.