From: Walter Block <[email protected]>

Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2022 11:41 AM

To: ‘Santiago

Subject: RE: Thanks are -long- due

Dear Santiago:

Thanks for this lovely letter. I’m glad you’re doing so well.

Best regards,

Walter

From: Santiago

Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2022 9:22 AM

To: Walter Block

Subject: Re: Thanks are -long- due

Dear Prof. Block,

Almost 7 years ago, we met at the 65 anniversary of the Mises Institute, in New York. I was just coming out of law school in Colombia, and was lucky enough to win a scholarship to attend this event. There, after you were conversing with a couple of us attendants, between lectures, I pulled you aside to ask you something. I needed some advice and you gave it to me generously. I was inquiring you about the usefulness of getting a PhD. I will never forget that the first answer you gave to me was “why are in you interested in getting one?” My top-of-my-mind answer was to get more knowledge. You laughed, then said “take the money and buy books, it’s just so much cheaper.” You made me realize that the most important thing to take into consideration when considering a PhD is the credential. You told me, that the only thing that matters when making such a decision is take into consideration if, interested in going into academia, a university was to take more seriously with one. To this day I think it has been one, if not the most important piece of advice anyone has given me.

Taking that advice very seriously, I went along and sought the PhD. You also wrote the most generous letter of recommendation, that ended supporting my application. It did wonders. I ended up getting my doctorate in law (Doctor iuri) in Germany, at the Bucerius Law School, in law & economics, studying under Hans-Bernd Schäfer. A couple of days ago, when I was watching the debate you had with Phillip Bagus -whom I met when I was living in Europe, I realized I have never thanked you for all the support and aid.  Thank you, dear Prof. Block.

I am now back in Colombia, teaching and researching at a university. I teach law & economics (which, to be frank, ends up being more economics than law, and I take this opportunity to advance Austrian Economics and freedom along with my students. With them, I have started a modest think tank, which demands more and more time of every day it passes.

I still hope we would meet again.

All the best.

Santiago

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