UNLEARNING AND DISCOVERY by Charles F. Manski*

I find introspection to be painful. Looking back, I recall doing little of it before age sixteen. Instead, I mainly did the things that I was instructed to do. I studied hard and performed well in courses and examinations, for no deeper reason than that this was what one was supposed to do. As an adult I have introspected when it has seemed constructive to do so, but I still try not to overdo it. I prefer to accomplish something tangible—to write a paper or wash dishes—than to contemplate. Introspection is usually a private matter, but writing an essay such as this requires introspection for public consumption. Why agree to do it? Ego may play some role, but communication is the ostensible social objective. Humans learn from observing the experiences of others, and use the information to inform their own decision making. Thus, this essay provides data on my experiences that may perhaps prove useful to other economists. There will be a theme to the essay. I have repeatedly found that I am able to make new discoveries only after I unlearn orthodoxies and go back to basics, with an open mind. I will relate a sequence of experiences of this sort. I begin at age sixteen, next describe my path through college and graduate school, and then discuss two intense mid-career episodes of unlearning and discovery. I conclude with a very recent episode whose implications are not yet clear to me.