I think you're correct: Cowen never answers the question. He does do the philosophy thing, and try to provide categories of heresy.
I'm tempted to be snarky and try to tie Cowen's "economics curmudgeon" reputation into this and say that Cowen is just trying to toot his own horn, like the "Intellectual Dark Web" folks did, but that's uncharitable.
How about "heresy is a canon law thing and doesn't make sense outside of some rigid system of religious authority" as a take? I mean, Triclavianism is (maybe) a Catholic heresy, but virtually all the world's population would either shrug it off, or laugh. Of course Triclavianism is in Cowen's #3, Not globally heretical.
I'm tempted to be snarky and try to tie Cowen's "economics curmudgeon" reputation into this and say that Cowen is just trying to toot his own horn, like the "Intellectual Dark Web" folks did, but that's uncharitable.
How about "heresy is a canon law thing and doesn't make sense outside of some rigid system of religious authority" as a take? I mean, Triclavianism is (maybe) a Catholic heresy, but virtually all the world's population would either shrug it off, or laugh. Of course Triclavianism is in Cowen's #3, Not globally heretical.