John B. Davis

D. Wade Hands

Patrick Suppes (1922–2014) was an extraordinarily wide-ranging scholar. Although best known as a philosopher of science, Suppes made substantial contributions to a remarkably wide range of different fields of research including many relevant to economics: decision theory, philosophy of economics, modeling theory, foundations of measurement, philosophy of psychology (and thus what is now behavioral economics), and many other fields. This collection recognizes Suppes’s contributions to economics and economic methodology with a symposium of papers that examine, build on, and/or assess Suppes’s research in these areas. The authors include philosophers, economists, game theorists, historians of economics, and many whose research combine these fields. This book honors Patrick Suppes, while at the same time, exhibiting the richness of contemporary philosophy of economics. It was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Economic Methodology.

Patrick Suppes, Economics, and Economic Methodology

John Bryan Davis

Uskali Mäki

A multidisciplinary reference in which over 100 commissioned essays provide details of topics and issues that have developed in recent decades and introduce a variety of emerging themes that economic methodologists have begun to explore. The encyclopedia- type articles discuss such topics as aggregation, evolutionary economics, Otto Neurath, survey methods, Thorstein Veblen, selectionist arguments, the marginalist controversy, game theory, economic sociology, and causality. Each includes an extensive bibliography. Practicing economists and students of the philosophy or history of economics might find useful information and an entry into deeper investigation. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The Handbook of Economic Methodology

This book is a comprehensive and often controversial survey of economic methodology.

Economic Methodology and Contemporary Science Theory

Reflection Without Rules

The form of ‘reflexivity’ – defined by the dictionary as that which is ‘directed back upon itself’ – that is most relevant to economic methodology is that where observation of the economy leads to ideas that change behavior, which in turn changes (is directed back upon) the economy itself. As George Soros explains: "if investors believe that markets are efficient then that belief will change the way they invest, and that in turn will change the nature of the markets they are observing ... That is the principle of reflexivity". Although various versions of reflexivity have long been discussed, in recent years George Soros has been particularly effective in bringing ideas about reflexivity to the attention of the economic and financial communities. In a series of writings he has systematically argued that reflexivity is not only an important aspect of economic life, it is an aspect that is neglected in most mainstream theorizing; and in addition, that the neglect of reflexivity has been responsible for the failure of economists to predict, explain, or offer a solution for events such as the recent financial crisis. Soros’ ideas about reflexivity have important methodological significance, and his chapter in this book summarizes and clarifies his arguments. His contribution is joined by those of thirteen scholars from a wide range of relevant fields, who provide a commentary on the idea of reflexivity in economics. This book was originally published as a special issue of The Journal of Economic Methodology.

D. Wade Hands

Books

Your next favorite book is out there