From personal experience, the “Chicago Econ” style does indeed do a great job at screening for competence. However, I think it’s not nearly as good at selecting for true *ideas*. When institutional and personal prestige are in conflict with the truth, the smartest people will prioritize reputation. And they’ll defeat the slightly less intelligent or aggressive person who is correct. I’ve seen it many times in academic seminars.
From personal experience, the “Chicago Econ” style does indeed do a great job at screening for competence. However, I think it’s not nearly as good at selecting for true *ideas*. When institutional and personal prestige are in conflict with the truth, the smartest people will prioritize reputation. And they’ll defeat the slightly less intelligent or aggressive person who is correct. I’ve seen it many times in academic seminars.