Cooler Heads

I am a big fan of Paul Krugman, not just because he is a powerful critic of the Bush administration, but also because of his remarkable grasp on a wide range of economic issues and his clarity in explaining them. It's rare to see an economist who is a brilliant theorist but is still highly conversant with the details of the real economy, and Krugman is such an economist.

Anyway, while his everyday writings are usually well worth reading, one essay stands out in my mind as the best (in his non-academic work). It is an essay about the methodology of economics, but it also addresses the broader issue of rigor in academics. If you read it, please let me know what you think (jamestmcdonnell@yahoo.com). The essay is called "The Fall and Rise of Development Economics."