On God, Investing and the Nobel Prize
Of course in polite company, one is encouraged to avoid discussing religion, money and politics. So what gives with today’s blog post title? In this case, we think it’s worth making an exception to report some good news on all three fronts. Bear with me. There are some good financial lessons involved.
God Particle – Found
As reported recently on CBS News, Drs. François Englert and Peter W. Higgs were awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in physics for forming the theory that led to discovery of the semi-eponymous Higgs boson, otherwise known as the “God particle.” Englert and Higgs formed the theory in the 1960s, but it wasn’t until 2012 that teams of scientists at CERN and around the globe confirmed its existence.
Evidence-Based Investing – Substantiated
Similarly, we were thrilled to hear that Dr. Eugene Fama was recognized with a 2013 Nobel Prize in economics for his and other colleagues’ work on the science of investment-pricing theory. As with Drs. Englert and Higgs, Dr. Fama was finally recognized this year for having gotten the ball rolling back in the 1960s with his Efficient Market Hypothesis, upon which we have grounded much of our own investment strategy here at Pathway Financial. As the Nobel committee observed, “These findings not only had a profound impact on subsequent research but also changed market practice.” For the better, we might add.
The Politics of Science – No Exception
In both of these cases, the nod was given to groundbreaking work from a half-century ago that has led to today’s practical applications. It may be partly a matter of the politics involved, as it’s easier to identify who started the ball rolling than to acknowledge every push that has been made along the way. Still, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanks to Dr. Fama’s early work, we have solid evidence-based theory from which to build real-life solutions.
Stay tuned to our blog for more related insights on how we’ve applied the science of investing to help investors make the most of their personal wealth within a largely efficient market.