Most of the items on Robert Clower’s 1970 list of recommended readings regarding the methodology of economics will be familiar to regular visitors of this blog. Still I expect even specialists in matters methodological will find a few unfamiliar references in this Northwestern University course.
___________________________
Economics D-12
Economic Theory and Methods
Robert W. Clower, Fall 1970
METHODOLOGY
Recommended Readings
- Tarski, Alfred, Introduction to Logic and to the Methodology of Deductive Sciences, Oxford Univ Press, NY, 2nd ed., 1946, Ch. VI.
- Polya, G., Patterns of Plausible Inference, Vol. II of Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning, Princeton U Press, Princeton, N.J. 1954. Chs. XII and XIII.
- Russell, B., “Non-Demonstrative Inference,” Basic Writings of B. Russell, Egner and Devonn, eds. Pp. 647-659.
- Cairnes, J.E., The Character and Logical Method of Political Economy, MacMillan and Co, London, 1875, 2nd ed.
- Keynes, John Neville, The Scope and Method of Political Economy, 4th ed., MacMillan and Co, London, 1917.
- Weber, Max, The Methodology of the Social Sciences, trans. and edited by Edward A. Shils and Henry A. Finch, the Free Press, Glencoe, Ill., 1949.
- Kuhn, T.S., The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago, 1962.
- Kaufmann, Felix, Methodology of the Social Sciences, The Humanities Press, NY, 1958. Ch XVI.
- Robbins, Lionel, An Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science, 2nd ed., Macmillan and Co, London, 1940.
- von Mises, Ludwig, Human Action — A Treatise on Economics.
- Hayek, Friedrich A., The Counter Revolution of Science, essay “Scientism and the Study of Society,” reprinted from Economica (Aug., 1942; Feb., 1943, Feb ., 1944).
- Kirzner, Israel M., The Economic Point of View, Van Nostrand, 1960.
- Papandreou, Andreas, “Types of Empirical Relevance in Modern Economics,” Economica Internazionale, v.2 (Maggio, 1952), 3-14.
- Friedman, Milton, Essays in Positive Economics, U. of Chicago, Chicago, 1953, ch. 1.
- Rotwein, Eugene, “On the Methodology of Positive Economics,” The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Nov., 1959.
- Koopmans, Tjalling C., Three Essays on the State of Economic Science, McGraw-Hill, NY, 1957, Essay II.
- Clower, R.W., “Monetary History and Positive Economics,” Journal of Economic History, September 1964, pp. 364-380.
- Nagel, Ernest, “Assumptions in Economic Theory,” AER, LIII, 2, May, 1963, pp. 211-219.
- Samuelson, Paul A., “Problems of Methodology: Discussion,” AER, LIII, 2, May, 1963, pp. 231-236.
- Machlup, Fritz, “Professor Samuelson on Theory and Realism,” AER, LIV, 5, September, 1964, pp. 733-736.
- Samuelson, Paul A., “Theory and Realism: A Reply,” AER, LIV, 5, September, 1964, pp. 736-739.
- Helmer, Olaf, and Nicholas Rescher, “On the Epistemology of the Inexact Sciences,” Management Science, Vol. 6, No. 1, Oct. 1959, pp. 25-52.
- Gordon, D.F., “Operational Propositions in Economic Theory,” JPE, 63, pp. 150-161, April, 1955.
- Stigler, George J., Five Lectures on Economic Problems, Longmans, Green and Co., 1949, Lecture IV.
- Keynes, J.M., “Alfred Marshall,” Essays in Biography.
Source: Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Economists’ Papers Archive. Robert W. Clower papers, Box 4, Folder “Econ D-12. Economic Theory and Methods, 1968-1970. Syllabus, Strotz notes”.
Image Source: Robert W. Clower page at The History of Economic Thought website.