[crimsonalucard]

>(which you rejected up-thread)

Where did I reject programming language theory? You mean type theory? I didn't reject it. I said it doesn't apply to functional because ADT's can be used on most programming styles outside of FP.

>None of these things is straightforward to control for, and I'd be extremely skeptical of any quantifiable metric someone shows me that purports to show clear wins in real-world software development based on language paradigm of all things.

Don't account for those things. Account for what can be measured. Cut through all the frosting and get to the main point. What is the exact definition of a well designed program when we don't factor in opinionated things like readability? At it's core their must be fundamental properties of a shitty program and a well designed one that exist outside of opinion and is pretty much universally agreed upon.