The Austrians and the method

From criticism to positivism to the recall of the classical tradition

Authors

  • Marcelo Lourenço Filho Universidade de São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30800/mises.2019.v7.1181

Keywords:

Austrian School of Economics, history of economic thought, economic methodology, Philosophy of science

Abstract

Contemporary economic orthodoxy has a dual relationship with the methodology: at the same time that it does not debate themes related to the method, it denies recognition to those who do not follow its “official methodology”. This article aims to emphasize the importance of Austrians leading the methodological debate in Economics, highlighting their criticism of positivism and defending their own methodological posture, which is very close to the classical tradition. It Is also treated by the insertion of positivism in Economics, in which the epistemological problems of this analysis and the criticism of the Austrians are placed. Finally, there is a proposal of methodological posture for the austrians with the objective of expanding
the dialogue with orthodoxy and allowing an external criticism of it.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

BARBIERI, F. O processo de mercado na Escola Austríaca Moderna. Dissertação (Mestrado em Economia) - FEA/USP. São Paulo, 2001.

BARBIERI, F. História do debate do cálculo econômico socialista. Tese (Doutorado em Economia) - FEA/USP.

São Paulo, 2004.

BIANCHI, A. M. Muitos métodos é o método: a respeito do pluralismo. Revista de Economia Política, v. 12, n. 2 (46), 1992.

BOETTKE, P. J. What is Wrong with Neoclassical Economics (and What is Still Wrong with Austrian Economics). Beyond Neoclassical Economics. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, 1996.

BOETTKE, P. J; LEESON, P. T. The Austrian School of Economics: 1950-2000. The Blackwell Companion To History Of Economic Thought. Oxford: Basil Blackwell Publishers, 2002.

CALDWELL, B. J. Beyond Positivism: economic methodology in the twentieth century. Londres: George Allen & Unwin, 1982.

CALDWELL, B. J. Praxeology and its critics: an appraisal. History of Political Economy, Duke University Press, v.16, n. 3, 1984. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1215/00182702-16-3-363

COLANDER, D. What is so Austrian about Austrian Economics?. Middlebury College Working Paper, Middlebury College, Department of Economics, 2009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-2134(2010)0000014005

EDGEWORTH, F. Y. Mathematical Psychis: An essay on the application of mathematics to the moral sciences. Londres: C. Kegan & Co, 1881.

EKELUND. R. Jr.; HÉBERT, R. A History of Economic Theory and Method. Long Grove, 2007.

GALBRAITH, J. K. Economics, peace and laughter. New York: New American Library, 1971.

HAYEK, F. A. The Use of Knowledge in Society. American Economic Review, v. 35, n. 4, 1945.

HAYEK, F. A. The Theory of Complex Phenomena. Studies in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Londres: Routledge, 1967. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226321356.001.0001

MCCLOSKEY, D. N. He’s Smart. And He’s a Nice Guy Too. Eastern Economic Journal, v. 21, n. 1 (Winter), 1985.

MCCLOSKEY, D. N. The Rhetoric of Economics. Journal of Economic Literature, v. 21, n. 2, 1983.

MCCLOSKEY, D. N. The Secret Sins of Economics. Chicago: Prickly Paradigm Press, 2000.

MCCLOSKEY, D. N.; ZILIAK, S. T. The cult of statistical significance: How the standard error costs us jobs, justice, and lives. University of Michigan Press, 2008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.186351

MILL, J. S. The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, Volume - A System of Logic Ratiocinative and Inductive, ed. John M. Robson. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, Londres: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1974.

MISES, L. The ultimate foundation of economic science: an essay on method. Nova Iorque: D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1962.

MISES, L. Epistemological Problems in Economics. New York: New York University Press, 1981.

MISES, L. Theory and History: An Interpretation of Social and Economic Evolution. Auburn: The Ludwig von Mises Institute, 1985.

MISES, L. Human Action: a treatise on economics. Auburn: The Ludwig von Mises Institute, 1998.

POPPER, K. Os dois problemas fundamentais da teoria do conhecimento. São Paulo: Editora UNESP, 2013.

ROBBINS, L. An Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science. Londres: Macmillan & Co, 1932.

ROTHBARD, M. N. Individualism and the Philosophy of The Social Sciences. São Francisco: Cato Institute, 1979.

SCHMOLLER, Gustav. Zur Methodologie der Staats-und Sozialwissenschaften. Schmollers Jahrbuch, v. 7, n. 3, 1883.

SOTO, J. H. A Escola Austríaca. São Paulo: Instituto Ludwig von Mises Brasil, 2010.

TINTER, G. The definition of econometrics. Econometrica, v. 21, n. 1, 1953. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1906941

Published

2019-08-19

How to Cite

1.
Lourenço Filho M. The Austrians and the method: From criticism to positivism to the recall of the classical tradition. MisesJournal [Internet]. 2019 Aug. 19 [cited 2024 Dec. 2];7(2). Available from: https://www.misesjournal.org.br/misesjournal/article/view/1181

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles