Title

Effective Tension In Robbins' Economic Methodology

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2009

Publication Title

Economica

Department

Economics

Abstract

Lionel Robbins' Essay is one of the most influential methodological works in twentieth century economics. This said, the Essay is not philosophically seamless; it exhibits certain tensions that are not easily reconciled within,my specific philosophical characterization of scientific knowledge. This paper discusses these issues, but also emphasizes that these tensions did not inhibit the influence of the Essay within economics. In fact, it is argued that these philosophical tensions actually contributed to its influence. It was a methodology for economics, not for philosophers, and its influence needs to be understood within the context of 1930s marvinalist economics.

Volume

76

pp.

831-844

ISSN

0013-0427

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