How To Start Data Sciencing With Python!

I put a post about "starting data science with Python" on my Substack. Since I needed to deal with this quickly, I am not going to re-post here, as I would need to clean up formatting and images.

Preliminary Agent-Based Model In Place

I have made some progress on my agent-based modelling project (in between CFL playoff games). It is now possible to interact with the simulation, making this the minimum viable space trading game. My objective was to get the economy running in a somewhat sensible fashion, so that it is possible to examine how any particular agent reacts to a coherent economy state, and thus I am free to refine behaviour.

(I have a Patreon to support my open source projects, of which this is the one that is currently getting the most development time. I also have my stock-flow consistent modelling module, as well as my research platform that I use to generate the charts for my blog. All use Python, although I do my plots in R.)

Doing Agent-Based Modelling...

I am currently working on adding functionality to my Python agent-based model framework, so no other article from me this week.

I set up a Patreon to support my Python projects, and the agent-based model is the current focus. I wrote a few small pieces this week discussing recent work: here and here.

Economics/Finance Analysis Package

I wrote a free post on my Patreon discussing my open source econ_platform package, which is mainly in Python — although it supports other languages. (I produce my charts in R.) The package is available at https://github.com/brianr747/platform.

The article discusses the core of the package - the fetch() function. Using the fetch command allows me to generate this exciting Icelandic HICP inflation rate in just four lines of code (one of which is the boilerplate library initialisation command).

Status Update On My Agent-Based Model Dabbling

I have had a bit more time to work on my Python agent-based model project. As I discussed earlier, I am migrating the discussion of my open source projects to a new Patreon. As I have noted repeatedly, a consulting project has slowed me down, so progress on that front has been slow. I just want to give a bit of a summary of how things are going, from the perspective of someone who is interested in the modelling, but not the coding bits.

Can We Replicate DSGE Models With An Agent-Based Model?

I have another non-paywalled draft PDF on my Patreon (link). They are initial musings about a theoretical question: can we implement an agent-based model, and have it converge to a DSGE model equilibrium solution?

The text is somewhat rough, as it is a brainstorming document rather than a finished product. My conjecture is that the only way to get a DSGE-style equilibrium is to force the agents to use that solution, which is not within the "spirit" of agent-based modelling.

With that digression out of the way, I have returned to puttering around with my Python agent-based framework. The code is still preliminary, and I would not yet describe it as a functioning model. However, within a few weeks, it should start to resemble a very simple model that could be related to an aggregate model of the economy.

(As for my Patreon, for now I am now treating it as a place to host free PDF's. Once the agent-based framework is in a functioning state, I will place high-level design documents as a treat for Patrons, and it

would be "open for business" in a real sense.)

DSGE Notation Comments

I have put up a non-paywalled draft PDF about DSGE model notation. It's a rehash of things I have written earlier, but since I can stick PDF's on Patreon, I formatted it properly using LaTex. 

I do not view this as a topic of burning interest for me. However, I am in the process of writing a short comment on agent-based models and DSGE models, and I needed this background.

My Next Projects (Including MMT In Space!)

The electronic book launch of Modern Monetary Theory and the Recovery has gone well, and I am waiting to approve the paperback edition. This means that I am now in the mode of considering my next steps. I am unsure what the subject of my next book will be, but I have a short-term project: develop an agent-based macroeconomic simulator. The first application of this simulator will be building a core MMT model - in space! To support my open source software projects, I have set up a Patreon, which I explain below.