The New Issue of JEM
3 August 2009 at 5:03 am Nicolai Foss 2 comments
| Nicolai Foss |
No doubt a sure sign of impending senility, I take a huge interest in economic methodology, that is, meta-theory as it applies to economics. I serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Economic Methodology and usually enjoy reading the journal. The latest issue of JEM features at least two papers that should be of direct interest to O&M readers, namely Alain Marciano’s “Buchanan’s catallactic critique of Robbins’ definition of economics” (basically a discussion of Buchanan’s famous 1964 presidential address to the Southern Economic Association), and Oliver Williamson’s “Pragmatic methodology: a sketch with applications to transaction cost economics” (pragmatic methodology meaning “keep it simple,” “get it right,” “make it plausible,” and “engage in predictions and empirical testing”). Ah, and for those who take delight in economic controversy there is a rather thorough smashing by Ken Binmore of a recent Deirdre McCloskey book.
Entry filed under: - Foss -, Methods/Methodology/Theory of Science.
2 Comments Add your own
Leave a comment
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed
Organizations and Markets 
1.
Deirdre McCloskey | 13 January 2010 at 4:53 pm
Dear Dr. Foss, I see that you think that Ken Binmore “thoroughly smashed” my book The Bourgeois Virtues: Ethics for an Age of Commerce. I’m surprised that you don’t mention my reply to Ken’s uncharacteristically silly piece, in which I show in detail why he is wrong. May I ask if you have read the book in question?
Sincerely, Deirdre McCloskey
2.
Nicolai Foss | 14 January 2010 at 1:01 am
It was ” a rather thorough smashing”. I am not saying that Binmore’s smashing is correct, objective, fair, scientifically sound, not to mention ethically justified, etc. etc. Perhaps it is not. But a smashing it is. Thanks for alerting me and the O&M readership to your reply.