Economic methodology : an inquiry / Sheila C. Dow.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dow, Sheila C.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Economics--Methodology.

Economics.

Physical Description:

xiii, 206 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2002.

Summary:

Economic Methodology provides an accessible introduction to the subject-matter of and literature on the methodology of economics. It presents issues in economics in order to demonstrate the need for methodological awareness and debate. The core of the book then explains the content and development of thought in methodology in relation to issues in economics, with an especial emphasis on the most recent thinking in the area.

Contents:

1 What's so Funny about Economics? 1

2 Where is Economics Going? 4

2.2 Why Does Economics Keep on Changing? 5

2.3 Issues for Economists 10

2.4 The Public Understanding of Economics 14

3 Some Theoretical Issues 19

3.2 Human Nature: Economics of the Family 20

3.3 Relationships with Other Disciplines: The Theory of the Firm 25

3.4 The Micro-Macro Distinction: Credit Rationing 28

3.5 Expectations: Model Uncertainty and Monetary Policy 30

3.6 Welfare Issues: The Distribution of Global Pollution 33

4 Some Empirical Issues 38

4.2 Empirical Work as Theory Testing: Education and Earnings; Education and Growth 39

4.3 Empirical Work as a Basis for Prediction: Predicting Financial Crises 46

4.4 Empirical Work as the Basis for Institutional Design: Independent Central Banks 49

5 The Scope and Purpose of Economics 55

5.4 Economics and the Physical Sciences 68

6 Progress in Economics 77

6.2 Inductivism and Deductivism 78

6.3 Empirical Testing 85

6.4 (Critical) Rationalism 90

6.5 Modelling, Mathematics, and Economics 96

7 Understanding Economics 106

7.2 Economics as a Social Activity 107

7.3 Rhetoric 114

7.4 Postmodernism 122

7.5 Sociology of Scientific Knowledge/Science Studies 126

8 Understanding the Economy 132

8.2 Realism 135

8.3 Rationality 143

8.4 Logic and Rigour 147

8.5 Pluralism 155

9 Issues for Methodology and Economics 162

9.2 Sociology, Modes of Thought, and Visions of Reality 163

9.3 Our Choice of Methodology 168

9.4 Relationships with Other Disciplines 170

9.5 What all this Means for Applying Economics to Policy Issues 175

9.6 Implications for Economics Education 177

9.7 Conclusion: Methodology and the Future of Economics 178.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0198776128

OCLC:

48236797