Jose Betancourt
@jbetancourt015.bsky.social
Physics PhD student at Yale. Econ-adjacent. I’m fascinated by networks, complexity and chaos.
Pinned
New working paper!
Have you ever wondered how the way you form friendships, partnerships, etc affects the structure of how society as a whole interacts?
It turns out that even small changes to individual incentives can have huge aggregate effects!
A 🧵:
Have you ever wondered how the way you form friendships, partnerships, etc affects the structure of how society as a whole interacts?
It turns out that even small changes to individual incentives can have huge aggregate effects!
A 🧵:
New post out on my Substack!
We're often faced with uncertainty, but what should we do if we can choose how to learn about the world? I discuss a really cool paper that answers this question:
blueprintsofemergence.substack.com/p/the-burden...
We're often faced with uncertainty, but what should we do if we can choose how to learn about the world? I discuss a really cool paper that answers this question:
blueprintsofemergence.substack.com/p/the-burden...
The burden of choosing how to learn
How the cost of experimentation shapes how you should learn about the world
blueprintsofemergence.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 9:39 PM
New post out on my Substack!
We're often faced with uncertainty, but what should we do if we can choose how to learn about the world? I discuss a really cool paper that answers this question:
blueprintsofemergence.substack.com/p/the-burden...
We're often faced with uncertainty, but what should we do if we can choose how to learn about the world? I discuss a really cool paper that answers this question:
blueprintsofemergence.substack.com/p/the-burden...
New working paper!
Have you ever wondered how the way you form friendships, partnerships, etc affects the structure of how society as a whole interacts?
It turns out that even small changes to individual incentives can have huge aggregate effects!
A 🧵:
Have you ever wondered how the way you form friendships, partnerships, etc affects the structure of how society as a whole interacts?
It turns out that even small changes to individual incentives can have huge aggregate effects!
A 🧵:
October 14, 2025 at 4:18 PM
New working paper!
Have you ever wondered how the way you form friendships, partnerships, etc affects the structure of how society as a whole interacts?
It turns out that even small changes to individual incentives can have huge aggregate effects!
A 🧵:
Have you ever wondered how the way you form friendships, partnerships, etc affects the structure of how society as a whole interacts?
It turns out that even small changes to individual incentives can have huge aggregate effects!
A 🧵:
Reposted by Jose Betancourt
Our understanding of neural computation -- both in the brain and artificial networks -- is founded on an assumption: That neurons fire in response to a linear sum of inputs
We systematically test this assumption 👇 arxiv.org/abs/2504.08637
We systematically test this assumption 👇 arxiv.org/abs/2504.08637
April 16, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Our understanding of neural computation -- both in the brain and artificial networks -- is founded on an assumption: That neurons fire in response to a linear sum of inputs
We systematically test this assumption 👇 arxiv.org/abs/2504.08637
We systematically test this assumption 👇 arxiv.org/abs/2504.08637
Reposted by Jose Betancourt
Modern supply chains don't look like trade theory 101!
They involve constant border crossings, each now hit by tariffs.
Tariffs raise prices, but the more important thing they do is disrupt supply relationships.
1/
They involve constant border crossings, each now hit by tariffs.
Tariffs raise prices, but the more important thing they do is disrupt supply relationships.
1/
February 2, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Modern supply chains don't look like trade theory 101!
They involve constant border crossings, each now hit by tariffs.
Tariffs raise prices, but the more important thing they do is disrupt supply relationships.
1/
They involve constant border crossings, each now hit by tariffs.
Tariffs raise prices, but the more important thing they do is disrupt supply relationships.
1/
Reposted by Jose Betancourt
i'm excited to be judging a Quora knowledge contest
questions are below.
if you like thinking about economics, write good answers to these questions!!
first prize is $1000
second prize is $200 (which can buy a set of steak knives)
contests.quora.com/Now-Open-Jan...
questions are below.
if you like thinking about economics, write good answers to these questions!!
first prize is $1000
second prize is $200 (which can buy a set of steak knives)
contests.quora.com/Now-Open-Jan...
January 10, 2025 at 2:57 AM
i'm excited to be judging a Quora knowledge contest
questions are below.
if you like thinking about economics, write good answers to these questions!!
first prize is $1000
second prize is $200 (which can buy a set of steak knives)
contests.quora.com/Now-Open-Jan...
questions are below.
if you like thinking about economics, write good answers to these questions!!
first prize is $1000
second prize is $200 (which can buy a set of steak knives)
contests.quora.com/Now-Open-Jan...
Reposted by Jose Betancourt
a hot (nerd) take
sometimes in economics the more mathy people care about writing their proofs pedantically with all details carefully spelled out
interestingly many, if not most, professional mathematicians do not write their proofs this way
1/
sometimes in economics the more mathy people care about writing their proofs pedantically with all details carefully spelled out
interestingly many, if not most, professional mathematicians do not write their proofs this way
1/
December 9, 2024 at 9:37 PM
a hot (nerd) take
sometimes in economics the more mathy people care about writing their proofs pedantically with all details carefully spelled out
interestingly many, if not most, professional mathematicians do not write their proofs this way
1/
sometimes in economics the more mathy people care about writing their proofs pedantically with all details carefully spelled out
interestingly many, if not most, professional mathematicians do not write their proofs this way
1/
Reposted by Jose Betancourt
How can physics define universal laws for computation, from cells and chips to brains? In this @pnas.org Perspective, led by @sfiscience.bsky.social David Wolpert and Jan Korbel, they suggest how Stochastic Thermodynamics can provide the proper framework pnas.org/doi/epub/10....
December 7, 2024 at 12:42 PM
How can physics define universal laws for computation, from cells and chips to brains? In this @pnas.org Perspective, led by @sfiscience.bsky.social David Wolpert and Jan Korbel, they suggest how Stochastic Thermodynamics can provide the proper framework pnas.org/doi/epub/10....
Reposted by Jose Betancourt
delighted to see this prize go to Arun Chandrasekhar, a pioneer in applications and theory of networks in economics and social science more broadly
a fantastically talented and energetic scholar
a fantastically talented and energetic scholar
December 1, 2024 at 7:52 PM
delighted to see this prize go to Arun Chandrasekhar, a pioneer in applications and theory of networks in economics and social science more broadly
a fantastically talented and energetic scholar
a fantastically talented and energetic scholar
Reposted by Jose Betancourt
I've made a starter pack for the Economics of Networks! 🕸️ This includes economic and social networks and wide range of methods: applied/econometrics and theory. I'm sure I have missed a lot. Please DM/reply with others, including self-nominations.
go.bsky.app/4yrQJsw
go.bsky.app/4yrQJsw
November 18, 2024 at 6:25 PM
I've made a starter pack for the Economics of Networks! 🕸️ This includes economic and social networks and wide range of methods: applied/econometrics and theory. I'm sure I have missed a lot. Please DM/reply with others, including self-nominations.
go.bsky.app/4yrQJsw
go.bsky.app/4yrQJsw
I had a lot of fun talking to Liza about my journey through economics and physics! Check out the episode (and her podcast) here:
open.spotify.com/episode/0myM...
open.spotify.com/episode/0myM...
Interview with Jose Betancourt, Yale Physics PhD student
The Brover Fixed Effect · Episode
open.spotify.com
November 17, 2024 at 4:33 PM
I had a lot of fun talking to Liza about my journey through economics and physics! Check out the episode (and her podcast) here:
open.spotify.com/episode/0myM...
open.spotify.com/episode/0myM...