Interview with James Heckman

This is the fifth in a series of interviews with Chicago School economists. Read "After the Blowup," John Cassidy's story on Chicago economists and the financial crisis. (Subscribers only.)

I interviewed Heckman by telephone in late October. I began by referring to a piece in the University of Chicago Magazine in which he appeared to absolve Chicago economics of any blame in causing the financial crisis. How did he react, then, to the recent criticisms of Chicago School economics from Joseph S...