In a discussion with Aaron Ross Powell and Trevor Burrus, he makes a point that I have made about MIT economics. That is, economists used to debate issues of method in their papers. Then, they stopped debating and just said, in effect, “economists do what economists do.” He suggests that Paul Romer’s “mathiness” discussion may re-open this debate. However, I see most economists trying to duck the issue of method and instead treat Romer’s complaint as applying only to Chicago and Minnesota. Anyway, there is much more in the podcast.

Boettke argues, as he has elsewhere, that there is a “main line” in economics (not mainstream). That main line is often forgotten, and then rediscovered by a “new school.” For example, rent-seeking has been in the main line (Bastiat’s story of candle-makers complaining about the sun) but had to be rediscovered. I think that PSST might very well fit into that category.