Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/172305 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Series/Report no.: 
CHOPE Working Paper No. 2017-13
Publisher: 
Duke University, Center for the History of Political Economy (CHOPE), Durham, NC
Abstract: 
Caldwell's Beyond Positivism was a key publication that helped to precipitate the consolidation of the methodology of economics into a distinct subfield within economics. Reconsidering it after thirty-five years, it is striking for its anti-naturalism (i.e., its lack of deference to the actual practices of economics) or, perhaps, for its meta-naturalism (displayed in its excessive deference to the philosophy of science) and for its defense of pluralism. It offers pluralism as an unsuccessful defense against dogmatism. Against Caldwell's pluralism, dogmatism is better opposed by a commitment of fallibilism and scientific humility. Caldwell's defense of Austrian methodology is taken as a case study to illustrate and investigate his key themes and the issues that they raise
Subjects: 
Bruce Caldwell
economic methodology
positivism
naturalism
Austrian economics
JEL: 
B41
B40
B53
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
573.58 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.