Economics of maritime disasters : essays on the Titanic and Lusitania

This work seeks to fill some of the gap existing in the economics and behavioural economics literature pertaining to the decision making process of individuals under extreme environmental situations (life and death events). These essays specifically examine the sinking’s of the R.M.S. Titanic, on 14th April of 1912, and the R.M.S. Lusitania, on 7th May 1915, using econometric (multivariate) analysis techniques. The results show that even under extreme life and death conditions, social norms matter and are reflected in the survival probabilities of individuals onboard the Titanic. However, results from the comparative analysis of the Titanic and Lusitania show that social norms take time to organise and be effective. In the presence of such time constraints, the traditional “homo economicus” model of individual behaviour becomes evident as a survival of the fittest competition.

Interaction of natural survival instincts and internalized social norms exploring the Titanic and Lusitania disasters

To understand human behavior, it is important to know under what conditions people deviate from selfish rationality. This study explores the interaction of natural survival instincts and internalized social norms using data on the sinking of the Titanic and the Lusitania. We show that time pressure appears to be crucial when explaining behavior under extreme conditions of life and death. Even though the two vessels and the composition of their passengers were quite similar, the behavior of the individuals on board was dramatically different. On the Lusitania, selfish behavior dominated (which corresponds to the classical homo oeconomicus); on the Titanic, social norms and social status (class) dominated, which contradicts standard economics. This difference could be attributed to the fact that the Lusitania sank in 18 minutes, creating a situation in which the short-run flight impulse dominates behavior. On the slowly sinking Titanic (2 hours, 40 minutes), there was time for socially determined behavioral patterns to re-emerge. To our knowledge, this is the first time that these shipping disasters have been analyzed in a comparative manner with advanced statistical (econometric) techniques using individual data of the passengers and crew. Knowing human behavior under extreme conditions allows us to gain insights about how varied human behavior can be depending on differing external conditions.

Nova Lusitania : historia da guerra brasilica : a purissima alma e saudosa memoria do Serenissimo Principe Dom Theodosio, Principe de Portugal, e Principe do Brasil : por Francisco de Brito Freyre : decada primeira

Francisco de Brito Freire nasceu em Coruche, em 1625, e morreu em Lisboa, em 1692. Foi capitão de cavalaria da Província da Beira, governador da Praça de Juromenha, no Alentejo, e conselheiro de guerra, tendo sido, por duas vezes, almirante da armada portuguesa no Brasil. Foi governador de Pernambuco e assinou a capitulação dos holandeses em 1654. Como autor original, Brito Freire pôde observar pessoalmente os acontecimentos e relatá-los a seu modo. Os autores puristas do século XIX consideravam-no escritor de grande credibilidade. ‘Nova Lusitana, historia da guerra brasilica..’ que sempre foi considerado um clássico, é uma das melhores fontes sobre os eventos que o correram em Pernambuco, entre 1630 e 1638 . A condição de governador de Brito Freire possibilitou o seu acesso à ampla documentação, tanto portuguesa com o holandesa. permitindo-lhe formular uma opinião própria e narrar, em primeira mão, aqueles eventos. Rico em detalhes curiosos, corajoso nas críticas políticas, trata-se de um livro raro e procurado.

Materiales audiovisuales para una Geografía de Extremadura : Proyecto didáctico Lusitania 2000.

Proyecto de innovación educativa que pretende realizar materiales para el área de las Ciencias Sociales, Geografía e Historia, en especial aquellas relacionadas con la Geografía teniendo como punto de partida el conocimiento y difusión de los contenidos de caracter regional y que de esta manera pueda ser usado por los centros educativos extremeños. Los objetivos del trabajo son ofrecer a los profesores materiales audiovisuales de apoyo en la enseñanza de la Geografía, ayudar a la elaboración de asignaturas optativas referidas al medio físico y natural, la economía, los recursos de Extremadura, promover la utilización de recursos en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, realizar experiencias de innovación e investigación educativa en los Centros de Educación de Extremadura y favorecer la motivación del alumnado gracias a técnicas y metodologías de trabajo más cercanas a ellas.

Coria, C??parra : dos municipios romanos en la Lusitania

Conjunto de actividades desarrolladas en las asignaturas optativas: Recuperaci??n de Patrimonio y Cultura Cl??sica de 4?? de ESO. Los objetivos de las actividades son: conocer elementos b??sicos de la civilizaci??n cl??sica valorando su influencia en la cultura local, conocer y valorar los rasgos del patrimonio adquiriendo compromisos de conservaci??n y mejora, desarrollar la capacidad de observaci??n, an??lisis e interpretaci??n de las piezas de los museos, reconocer criterios de exposici??n en los museos, aprender a resolver problemas y llevar a cabo estudios y peque??as investigaciones, realizar trabajos en grupo, buscar documentaci??n para llevar a cabo trabajos y pr??cticas en discusiones y debates con una actitud constructiva, cr??tica y tolerante.

Annus gloriosus Societatis Jesu in Lusitania, complectens sacras memorias illustrium virorum, qui virtutibus ... societatem Jesu ... exornarunt succincta narratione congestas a Antonio Franco.

Mode of access: Internet.

Flora lusitanica : seu, Plantarum, quae in Lusitania vel sponte crescunt, vel frequentius coluntur, ex florum praesertim sexubus systematice distributarum, synopsis /Felicis Avellar Broteri.

Mode of access: Internet.

Theodosius lusitanus siue principis perfecti vera effigies : rerum sub id tempus in Lusitania praeclarè gestarum nativis coloribus illuminata /

Mode of access: Internet.

Synopsis annalium Societatis Jesu in Lusitania ab anno 1540 usque ad annum 1725 /

Mode of access: Internet.

Phitographia lusitaniae selectior : seu novarum et aliarum minus cognitarum stirpium quae in Lusitania sponte veniunt descriptiones /

Fascic. primus.

Phytographia lusitaniae selectior : seu, Novarum, rariorum, et aliarum minus cognitarum stirpium, quae in Lusitania sponte' veniunt, ejusdemque flora spectant, descriptiones iconibus illustratae... /

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Salted-Fish industry in Roman Lusitania: Trade Memories between Oceanus and Mare Nostrum

Initiated by Augustus, Rome’s Atlantic policy seems to have been consolidated in the age of Claudius, with the acknowledgement of the economic potential offered by the Atlantic region. It is in this context that we must understand the development of the salted-fish industry in Lusitania. In the same geographical contexts, and in close relationship with fish-processing factories, are known about 20 pottery centres producing amphorae, located in the regions of Peniche, Sado and Tejo valleys, and the coasts of Alentejo and Algarve. This production extended in time beyond the end of the Western Roman Empire and up to the end of the 5th and 6th centuries, according to the archaeological data of some amphora kilns and fish-processing sites. The identification of Lusitanian amphorae in distant consuming centres and several shipwrecks in the Mediterranean basin confirm the long-distance commerce and the total integration of this “peripheral” region into the trade routes of the Roman Empire.