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Tom's July 25 edits of calvo_machine_learning lecture (#169)
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Co-authored-by: thomassargent30 <ts43@nyu.edu>
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mmcky and thomassargent30 authored Jul 27, 2024
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23 changes: 14 additions & 9 deletions lectures/calvo_machine_learn.md
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Expand Up @@ -156,12 +156,6 @@ the linear difference equation {eq}`eq_grad_old2` can be solved forward to get:
\theta_t = \frac{1}{1+\alpha} \sum_{j=0}^\infty \left(\frac{\alpha}{1+\alpha}\right)^j \mu_{t+j}, \quad t \geq 0
```

```{note}
Equation {eq}`eq_grad_old3` shows that an equivalence class of continuation money growth sequences $\{\mu_{t+j}\}_{j=0}^\infty$ deliver the same $\theta_t$. Consequently, equations {eq}`eq_grad_old1` and {eq}`eq_grad_old3` show that $\theta_t$ intermediates
how choices of $\mu_{t+j}, \ j=0, 1, \ldots$ impinge on time $t$
real balances $m_t - p_t = -\alpha \theta_t$. Chang {cite}`chang1998credible` exploits this
fact extensively.
```



Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1189,9 +1183,9 @@ For example, we could have regressed $\theta_t$ on $\mu_t$ and obtained the same
Actually, wouldn't that direction of fit have made more sense?
After all, the Ramsey planner is **choosing** $\vec \mu$ while $\vec \theta$ is the outcome.
After all, the Ramsey planner chooses $\vec \mu$, while $\vec \theta$ is an outcome that reflects the represenative agent's response to the Ramsey planner's choice of $\vec \mu$.
Which is **cause** and which is **effect**?
Isn't it more natural then to expect that we'd learn more about the structure of the Ramsey problem from a regression of components of $\vec \theta$ on components of $\vec \mu$?
To answer such questions, we'll have to deploy more economic theory.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1231,4 +1225,15 @@ print(f'(d_0, d_1) = ({clq.d0:.6f}, {clq.d1:.6f})')
Evidently, these agree with the relationships that we discovered by running regressions on the Ramsey outcomes $\vec \mu^R, \vec \theta^R$ that we constructed with either of our machine learning algorithms.
We have set the stage for diving into this quantecon lecture {doc}`calvo`.
We have set the stage for this quantecon lecture {doc}`calvo`.
We close this lecture by giving a hint about an insight of Chang {cite}`chang1998credible` that
underlies much of quantecon lecture {doc}`calvo`.
Chang noticed how equation {eq}`eq_grad_old3` shows that an equivalence class of continuation money growth sequences $\{\mu_{t+j}\}_{j=0}^\infty$ deliver the same $\theta_t$.
Consequently, equations {eq}`eq_grad_old1` and {eq}`eq_grad_old3` indicate that $\theta_t$ intermediates how the government's choices of $\mu_{t+j}, \ j=0, 1, \ldots$ impinge on time $t$
real balances $m_t - p_t = -\alpha \theta_t$.
In lecture {doc}`calvo`, we'll see how Chang {cite}`chang1998credible` exploits this
insight.

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