Did F. A. Hayek Embrace Popperian Falsificationism? A Critical Comment About Certain Theses of Popper, Duhem and Austrian Methodology

van den Hauwe, Ludwig (2007): Did F. A. Hayek Embrace Popperian Falsificationism? A Critical Comment About Certain Theses of Popper, Duhem and Austrian Methodology. Published in: Procesos de Mercado - Revista Europea de Economía Política , Vol. IV Núm, No. Primavera (2007): pp. 57-78.

Abstract

Hayek´s methodological outlook at the time he engaged in business cycle research was actually closer to praxeological apriorism than to Popperian falsificationism. A consideration of the Duhem thesis highlights the fact that even from a mainstream methodological perspective falsificationism is more problematic than is often realized. Even if the praxeological and mainstream lines of argumentation reject the Popperian emphasis on falsification for different reasons and from a different background, the prospects for falsificationism in economic methodology seem rather bleak.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: General methodology; falsificationism; Popper; Hayek; Duhem; Duhemian Argument; Testing of Theories; Meaning and Interpretation of Econometric Results; Correlation and Causality
• Subjects: E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E0 - General; B - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches > B4 - Economic Methodology; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C1 - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General

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