Answering the hardest questions in the world

I recently stumbled across a marketing campaign being run by UBS, which tries to answer the hardest questions in the world. The questions cover everything from equality to politics and, to illustrate what they are debating, here are a few examples:

• Why is there such a big gap between the richest and the poorest? (UBS is asking this)
• Why do some countries get stuck in poverty?
• Is globalization helping or hindering equality?
• How can governments work more effectively?
• What can governments do to help the poor?
• Should we worry about an international debt crisis?
• Can you ever eliminate risk?
• Why is it so hard to beat the stock market?
• What sparks economic growth?
• Why is there unemployment when jobs are available?
• Will we still have jobs when robots take over?

The most popular questions include:

• Can we make risk less risky in the financial world?
• Does globalization lead to inequality?
• Why do some economies grow much faster than others?
• What’s the value of a human being?
• Why does it not pay to exploit the poor?

To answer such difficult questions, the bank has been hiring world-leading Nobel Laureate thinkers to come together and debate and discuss these fundamental issues about our future. An illustration of what is developing out these conversations can be seen in this 10-minute summary of Nobel Perspectives Live! that took place in Singapore in September with Nobel Laureates Peter Diamond, Robert Merton, Michael Spence and Roger Myerson.

Here’s the full list of contributors:

Bengt R. Holmström, Nobel Laureate, 2016

• What’s the key to happy, productive employees?

Oliver S. Hart, Nobel Laureate, 2016

• Why’s there no such thing as a perfect contract?

Sir Angus S. Deaton, Nobel Laureate, 2015

• Does wealth always improve your life?

Robert J. Shiller, Nobel Laureate, 2013

• What really influences the financial system?

Lars Peter Hansen, Nobel Laureate, 2013

• How can we deal with uncertainty?

Alvin E. Roth, Nobel Laureate, 2012

• How do you make matches that last?

Christopher A. Sims, Nobel Laureate, 2011

• How can we solve monetary conflicts?

Sir Christopher A. Pissarides, Nobel Laureate, 2010

• Why is there unemployment when jobs are available?

Peter A. Diamond, Nobel Laureate, 2010

• How can we create better work and pension systems?

Elinor C. Ostrom, Nobel Laureate, 2009

• Are ordinary people able to self-organize?

Paul R. Krugman, Nobel Laureate, 2008

• Does globalization lead to inequality?

Roger B. Myerson, Nobel Laureate, 2007

• How can we create a more peaceful world?

Eric S. Maskin, Nobel Laureate, 2007

• Can you reverse engineer a good outcome?

Edmund S. Phelps, Nobel Laureate, 2006

• How can economic stagnation be stopped?

Robert J. Aumann, Nobel Laureate, 2005

• Can game theory end world conflict?

Finn E. Kydland, Nobel Laureate, 2004

• Whats makes good policy?

Edward C. Prescott, Nobel Laureate, 2004

• When should we worry about public debt?

Robert F. Engle, Nobel Laureate, 2003

• Can we avoid financial crises in the future?

Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Laureate, 2002

• What determines human decisions?

Vernon L. Smith, Nobel Laureate, 2002

• What can experiments tell us about the real-world?

Michael Spence, Nobel Laureate, 2001

• How can developing countries stimulate their growth?

Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate, 2001

• Can economics solve financial injustice?

Robert C. Merton, Nobel Laureate, 1997

• How can we re-establish trust in the financial sector?

Myron S. Scholes, Nobel Laureate, 1997

• What is the future of global finance?

Sir James A. Mirrlees, Nobel Laureate, 1996

• How can we create a fair tax system?

Robert E. Lucas, Nobel Laureate, 1995

• Do other people's expectations affect our lives?

William F. Sharpe, Nobel Laureate, 1990

• How can we stop poverty in old-age?

Harry M. Markowitz, Nobel Laureate, 1990

• Can we make risk less risky in the financial world?

Robert M. Solow, Nobel Laureate, 1987

• Why do some economies grow faster than others?

James M. Buchanan, Nobel Laureate, 1986

• How much freedom should politicians have?

Franco Modigliani, Nobel Laureate, 1985

• What incentive do people have to save?

Sir Arthur Lewis, Nobel Laureate, 1979

• Why does it not pay to exploit the poor?

Theodore W. Schultz, Nobel Laureate, 1979

• What's the value of a human being?

Herbert A. Simon, Nobel Laureate, 1978

• How do we make decisions?

Wassily W. Leontief, Nobel Laureate, 1973

• How is the global economy interconnected?

Paul A. Samuelson, Nobel Laureate, 1970

• Is economics a science?

And you can find more resources at their Nobel Perspectives website.