Reorienting economics?

Mohun, Simon and Veneziani, Roberto (2010): Reorienting economics?

Abstract

Reorienting economics analyses many important issues in the social sciences. This paper focuses on Lawson’s key methodological and epistemological claims concerning the role of mathematics in social theory. Lawson provides several forceful criticisms of the search of mathematical rigour for the mere sake of formalism. Yet his stronger claims on the extremely limited, if nonexistent, scope for formal analysis in the social sciences are less convincing. In general, his purely methodological approach does not provide robust foundations for reorienting economics.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Mathematical models; causal explanations; open systems; social ontology.
• Subjects: B - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches > B4 - Economic Methodology > B41 - Economic Methodology

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