Re: Heterodoxers are crackpots

["Dr. Bruce McFarling" <ecbm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mason Clark <masonc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote,
on Thu, 22 Aug 2002 16:54:50 -0700,


> Ok, I got your attention


In terms of polemic, it might be better to use
another term.  For example, orthodox versus
pragmatic economists.  But then again, economists
tend to be non-orthodox because they are more
concerned about their theories being right or
wrong than they are about their theories being
popular or unpopular.

And for an audience more concerned about being
right or wrong, the problem with:

> You should stop using that word.  Sound, modern economics
> cannot be "heterodox" -- it's simply "correct"  "wrong"  or
> "currently controversial until tested".  "Modern" might work.


is that it is wrong.  There is no such thing as a theory in
social or natural science that is "simple correct, wrong
or currently controversial until tested".  This is an
outdated, obsolete, discredited view.  It is, indeed, a
view that many would label as "modernist".

Pluralist contains the same information content without
the "faith" element that troubles you in "heterodox".  But
my favourite is "Post Autistic economics".