Tom Cochrane misunderstood. I was NOT rejecting Lipietz et al 100%. In fact, I've learned a lot from the regulation school. I like Lipietz's esoteric vs. exoteric distinction, though I'd rather use different words. I like to think about the dynamics of capital at a high level of abstraction (i.e., those developed in Marx's CAPITAL) vs. the dynamics of actually-existing capitalism, i.e., what happens at a low level of abstraction. Tom Walker praises me for making sense, suggesting that it's (partly) because of my hands-on experience with parenting. Maybe, but I'm also pretty lucky to have a professorial job that gives me a tremendous amount of flexibility in my schedule so I can stay at home sometimes (while using the modem to get _some_ work done despite being stranded). (I only teach on Tuesdays & Thursdays.) I also have a streak of anti-intellectualism that I keep hidden and usually sublimate into trying to makes professorial abstractions concrete, empirical. I love abstractions, but my abstractions tell me that abstractions are not enough. Empiricism isn't enough either. But I don't see why we have to reject the work of empiricists completely (or why we have to reject the work of those with "bad" theories completely). There's a division of labor in which the theorists can learn from the empiricists and vice-versa. In fact, we should learn from each other. I think one of the big problems with academia is that the competition between the various schools and modes of investigation. can prevent such learning. (We can learn from Lipietz or Aglietta without being regulationist; we can criticize the reg. school without rejecting it completely.) BTW, I like to put some personal details into my messages once and awhile simply to get away from the narrow academic perspective. I'm sorry if it came off as bragging about participating in childcare. I also think it's a bit inappropriate to pen-l for Tom to praise me the way he did. It's not a popularity contest. Nonetheless, it made my ego swell. Next, I'll see if I can make my belly swell in the annual US ritual of self-stuffing as a way of thanking the Indians for allowing the Pilgrims to survive. Thanking them for not having rational expectations, or for not acting on them? ;-) in pen-l solidarity, Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ. 7900 Loyola Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045-8410 USA 310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950 "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- K. Marx, paraphrasing Dante A.
