2. On the method of economics
Giraud, Pierre-Noël
2. On the method of economics - 2020.
2
This article seeks to revisit several aspects of the epistemological and methodological debate on economics through the lens of a pragmatic description inspired by the sociology of science about how “it works.” More specifically, the description details: i) the way in which economics fits into political debate and thus manifests its “performative” character, and ii) its method of development of models and theories. With this twofold description, the author makes a number of comments and hypotheses regarding: the unity and diversity of economic discourses; the relevance of the distinction between “schools” and major “general theories”; the difference between models and theories; the imperialism of economics; the contribution of mathematics; the instrumentalism/conventionalism debate and the realism of hypotheses; and finally the interpretation of what is today described as an “experimental” turn in economics. JEL classification code: B41.
2. On the method of economics - 2020.
2
This article seeks to revisit several aspects of the epistemological and methodological debate on economics through the lens of a pragmatic description inspired by the sociology of science about how “it works.” More specifically, the description details: i) the way in which economics fits into political debate and thus manifests its “performative” character, and ii) its method of development of models and theories. With this twofold description, the author makes a number of comments and hypotheses regarding: the unity and diversity of economic discourses; the relevance of the distinction between “schools” and major “general theories”; the difference between models and theories; the imperialism of economics; the contribution of mathematics; the instrumentalism/conventionalism debate and the realism of hypotheses; and finally the interpretation of what is today described as an “experimental” turn in economics. JEL classification code: B41.
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