Remembering Julian Simon

The great free-market economist and polymath Julian Simon passed away on February 8, 1998. This page is here to honor his memory. Please take a moment to post your own remembrances and comments in the Remembering Julian Simon Forum.

To hear a one minute sample of Julian Simon's voice talking about the "Ultimate Resource," click here for the RealAudio file. If you do not have the RealAudio plug-in, click here to get it or download the WAV version of the same file (668KB). This segment is taken from the 1992 speech "Everything is Getting Better and Better -- I'll Bet On It!" offered as an audiotape from Laissez Faire Books.

This tribute page contains links to:


Julian Simon Home Pages and Tribute Pages

Julian L. Simon, Professor of Business Administration at the University of Maryland
Julian Simon's own home page. "It introduces as many of my writings, published and unpublished, as I have yet been able to get into shape for World Wide Web." The Writings page contains nine complete books and over a hundred articles on subjects ranging from the environment to psychology to statistics, economics, and much more. You can also find a biography and his professional Curriculum Vitae.

Acton Institute Tribute to Julian Simon
A very nice tribute from the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. It focuses mostly on links to many of the articles and essays he'd written for Acton over the years. The ultimate tribute to Simon the man, of course, is his work, of which there is thankfully so much.

Freedom's Nest Julian Simon Page
Includes quotations and a section that looks at his detractors.

Simon's bet with David South on the price of timber
An Ehrlich-like bet that never came to pass. The links are mostly outdated, but the page includes a great picture of Simon hugging a tree.


Interviews and Articles about Simon

PRC Forum: Julian Simon
RealVideo file. This video clip from 1988 covers resources, environment, population growth and Simon's analytical methods. There is also a RealAudio file.

The Ultimate Resource
RealAudio file. David Asman of cable TV "Idea Channel" interviews Simon on "what is the ultimate resource?"

Population Growth Benefits the Environment
An Acton Institute interview.

The Doomslayer
A Wired magazine article by Ed Regis from February 1997. It is subtitled "The environment is going to hell, and human life is doomed to only get worse, right? Wrong. Conventional wisdom, meet Julian Simon, the Doomslayer."

Is Population a Problem?
Transcript of a June 1994 panel debate hosted by Ben Wattenberg for his "Thinktank" PBS program.

Malthus, Watch Out
The obituary by Ben Wattenberg that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on February 11, 1998.

Julian Simon Remembered: It's a Wonderful Life
Tribute by Stephen Moore that appeared in the Cato Institute's April Policy Report.

Julian Simon, combatant in a 200-year war
Thomas Sowell's syndicated column from February 12, 1998.


Books on Population, Resources, and Economics

The Ultimate Resource II: People, Materials, and Environment
The recent update of Simon's most famous book. Reconsiders the threat of "overpopulation," "resource depletion," and other such forecasts of impending doom.

The Economic Consequences of Immigration into the United States
Simon's critique of the anti-immigration mentality.

Effort, Opportunity, and Wealth: Some Economics of the Human Spirit

Scarcity or Abundance? A Debate on the Environment
Smashes misconceptions regarding population growth, species loss, soil erosion, atmospheric issues, and more.

The Hoodwinking of a Nation
Addresses the scare tactics employed by green lobbyists and government bureaucrats. Helps to explain why so many people are fooled so often.

Population Matters: People, Resources, Environment, and Immigration
"A collection of highly charged and readable essays that is part tough-minded analysis, and part polemical masterpiece. Here is the scholar in a new and welcome guise: as a crusader for individual freedom, progress, and just plain sanity." --Roy A. Childs

The State of Humanity
A 1996 collection edited by Simon. "More than fifty scholars from all over the world present new, concise, and accessible accounts of the present state of humanity and the prospects for its social and natural environment." -Midwest Book Review

The War Against Population: The Economics and Ideology of Population Control

The Economics of Population

Population and Development in Poor Countries: Selected Essays

Research in Population Economics

The Economics of Population Growth

How Immigrants Affect America's Living Standard: A Debate Between Julian Simon and Roger Conner

The Resourceful Earth: A Response to Global 2000

Theory of Population and Economic Growth

Economics Against the Grain (Economists of the Twentieth Century)


Books on Psychology, Rationality, and Scientific Methodology

Good Mood: The New Psychology of Overcoming Depression
In this book, the great scholar talks about what he learned from his own experiences with depression and how he overcame it by controlling his thinking.

The Science and Art of Thinking Well in Science, Business, the Arts, and Love
An "effective thinking" guide in HTML format.

Basic Research Methods in Social Science

Resampling: A Better Way to Teach (and Do) Statistics
The great free-market economist and polymath teaches how not to let tricky statist[ician]s get the best of your argument.

The Philosophy and Practice of Resampling Statistics


Books on Business, Management, and Advertising Economics

How to Start and Operate a Mail-Order Business
One of the most popular books ever written on the subject. Practically a "bible" for many small businessmen.

Getting into the Mail-Order Business

The Management of Advertising

Issues in the Economics of Advertising

Applied Managerial Economics


Remembering Julian Simon Forum




In December 2004 this page was modified significantly from its original form for archiving purposes.

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