The museums of science are replete with fossils of species that could not last the course. The leading-coinciding-lagging indicators might be buried … - Paul Samuelson

Economics, even classical economics, is not a finished business. There are still issues relevant to the present debate that have not been definitively explored.

The General Theory caught most economists under the age of 35 with the unexpected virulence of a disease first attacking and decimating an isolated tribe of south sea islanders. Economists beyond 50 turned out to be quite immune to the ailment. With time, most economists in between began to run the fever, often without knowing or admitting their condition.

The recent market run-up that appreciated run-of-the-mill shares also chanced to send up those token gold holdings. Pure luck, undeserved and unlikely to reoccur. Good questions outrank easy answers.