Woods J., Thagard P., Gabby D.M. Philosophy of Economics

Boston: Elsevier;Academic Press, 2012. — 929 p.Part of the Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Series edited by: Dov M. Gabbay King's College, London, UK; Paul Thagard University of Waterloo, Canada; and John Woods University of British Columbia, Canada. Philosophy of Economics investigates the foundational concepts and methods of economics, the social science that analyzes the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. This groundbreaking collection, the most thorough treatment of the philosophy of economics ever published, brings together philosophers, scientists and historians to map outPreface
Contributors
Themes
Realism and Antirealism about Economics
Introduction
Scientific Realism in Conventional Philosophy of Science
Ingredients of a Minimal Scientific Realism
Commonsensibles and Their Modifications in Economic Modelling
Social Construction (What?) of What?
Conclusion
Bibliography
The Rise and Fall of Popper and Lakatos in Economics
Introduction
Early Engagements with Popper 3 Lakatos and The Emergence of Economic Methodology4 The Movement From Popper and Lakatos
Appraising Economic Theories
Methodology After Lakatos
Conclusions
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Models and Modelling in Economics
Introduction
Nature of Economic Models
Working with Models
Conclusions: From Models to Modelling
Aknowledgements
Bibliography
Economic Theory and Causal Inference
Reductionist and Structuralist Accounts of Causality
Structual Estimation and Causality
The Assault on Macroeconometric Models
Inferring Causes from Interventions 5 Graph-Theoretic Accounts of Causal Structure6 A Synthetic Program for Uncovering the Causal Structure of Vars
Bibliography
Naturalism and The Nature of Economic Evidence
Naturalism and Evidence
Nonexperimental Evidence
Experimental Evidence
Evidence and Unrealistic Causal Models
Conclusion
Bibliography
Some Issues Concerning The Nature of Economic Explanation
Some Controversies About Explanation
Formal Criteria For Explanation in Economics
Theoretical Entities and Explanation
When Do Models Explain?
Macro and Microexplanation 6 Functional Explanation and Evolutionary Economics7 The Nature of Economic Causes
Conclusion
Bibliography
The Unreasonable Efficacy of Mathematics in Modern Economics
The Classical Arguments
The Role and Functions of Mathematics in Neoclassical Economics
Post-1980 Developments in Alternative Possibilities for Mathematical Formalization in Economics
A Revival of Philosophy of Mathematics for Economics?
Bibliography
Feminist Philosophy of Economics
Introduction
What Makes an Economic Inquiry Feminist?
Is Rational Choice Theory Androcentric? Values and Objectivity in Economics"Critical Realism:"" A Contested View in Feminist Philosophy of Economics
Conclusion
Bibliography
The Positive-Normative Dichotomy and Economics
Introduction to The Positive-Normative Dichotomy
The History of The Positive-Normative Dichotomy in Economics
Normative and Ethically Normative
The Entanglement of Positive and (Ethically) Normative
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Economic Theory, Anti-Economics, and Political Ideology
Introduction
Anti-Economists and Markets