The essay's core claim and representation were by the late 1980s widely deployed in mainstream economics, even if methodological judgments, like other regulative judgments, are not purely positive. Its critics however, had by then long pointed out the flaw in Friedman's reasoning: by shielding assumptions from the requirement of realism, Friedman admits falsehoods as part of his theory.
The essay's central claim and presentation were widely accepted within mainstream economics by the late 1980s, despite criticisms that methodological judgments are not purely positive. Critics had long pointed out a flaw in Friedman's reasoning: shielding assumptions from realism admitted falsehoods as part of his theory.