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Go to Google Play Now » The Rise of Political Economy as a Science: Methodology and the Classical Economists Deborah A Redman MIT Press, Jan 1, 2003 - Business & Economics - 489 pages 0 Reviews Reviews the epistemological ideas that inspired the classical economists: the methodological principles of Bacon, Descartes, Hobbes, Newton, Locke, Hume, Stewart, Herschel, and Whewell.The classical age of economics was marked by an intense interest in scientific methodology. It was, moreover, an age when science and philosophy were not yet distinct disciplines, and the educated were polymaths. The classical economists were acutely aware that suitable methods had to be developed before a body of knowledge could be deemed philosophical or scientific. They did not formulate their methodological views in a vacuum, but drew on a rich collection of philosophical ideas. Consequently, issues of methodology were at the heart of political economys rise as a science. The classical era of economics opened under Adam Smith with political economy understood as an integral part of a broader system of social philosophy; by the end, it had emerged via J. S. Mill as a "separate science", albeit one still inextricably tied to the other social sciences and to ethics. The Rise of Political Economy as a Science opens with a review of the epistemological ideas that inspired the classical economists: the methodological principles of Bacon, Descartes, Hobbes, Newton, Locke, Hume, Stewart, Herschel, and Whewell. These principles were influential not just in the development of political economy, but in the rise of social science in general. The author then examines science in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Britain, with a particular emphasis on the all-important concept of induction. Having laid the necessary groundwork, she proceeds to a history and analysis of the methodologies of four economist-philosophers—Adam Smith, Robert Malthus, David Ricardo, and J. S. Mill—selected for their historical importance as founders of economics and for their common Scottish intellectual lineage. Concluding remarks put classical methodology into a broader historical perspective.   Preview this book » What people are saying - Write a review We haven't found any reviews in the usual places. Selected pages Title Page Index References Contents Introduction Scope Purpose and Limitations of this Study 3 The Philosophical Background Thinkers Who Influenced the Classical Economists 9 Francis Bacon 15611626 and the Philosophy of Science 11 Mathematical Scientist 21 Philosophizing vs Experimentation 35 The DeductiveMathematical Experimental Method 43 John Locke 16321704 Epistemological Uncertainty and the Historical Plain Method 61 Pioneer in Moral Philosophy 69 Induction as Myth 202 Classical Economic Methodology 205 Adam Smith and His Newtonian Method 207 The Tie to Newton 208 Departures from Newtonian Method 215 The Significance of the Essay The History of Astronomy 220 Other Clues to Smiths Method 227 Lessons for Todays Economist 253 More Dugald Stewart 17531828 and Scottish Philosophy of Science 83 Model Philosopher 86 William Whewell 17941866 Gentleman of Science 93 Science in Eighteenth and NineteenthCentury Britain 101 The Emergence of Moral Philosophy 102 The Science of Man 110 The Method of Analysis and Synthesis 128 The Clock Metaphor 131 Social Engineering and the Diffusion of Economic Knowledge 135 The Birth of Econometrics 142 A Short History of Induction 159 Bacons Theory of Induction 162 A Closer Look at Newtons Third Step 171 The Myth of Causality and Its Consequences 173 Induction in the Hands of the Scots 184 Herschel Mill and Whewell 189 Jevons and the Decline of Induction 198 Probability Theory 200 Opposing or Complementary Methods? 259 Education and Accomplishments 268 The Methodological Dialogue 283 Significance and Legacy of the MalthusRicardo Dialogue 316 John Stuart Mill Last of the Newtonians 321 Mills Analysis of the Methods of Natural Science 326 The Development of a Method of Social Science 331 The Inexact Science of Political Economy 338 Mill on Specific Methodological Issues in Political Economy 343 Mills Place in the History and Philosophy of Science 352 Concluding Remarks 355 Science and The Gentlemans Magazine 17311759 361 Selected Bibliography by Topic 377 Sources Cited 421 Author Index 447 Subject Index 461 Copyright Less Other editions - View all The Rise of Political Economy as a Science: Methodology and the Classical ... Deborah A. Redman No preview available - 1997 The Rise of Political Economy as a Science: Methodology and the Classical ... Deborah A. Redman No preview available - 2003 Common terms and phrases abstract according Adam analysis appeared approach argues argument Bacon become believed body called causes century chapter classical collection common complete concept concerning conclusions considered criticism deductive demonstration Descartes discovered economic economists edition effects empirical essay established evidence existence experience experimental explain facts figures Hobbes human nature Hume Hume's hypotheses ideas important induction instance interest interpretation John Journal knowledge known later laws Logic London Malthus Malthus's mathematics matter means mechanical method methodology Mill Mill's mind moral natural history natural philosophy never Newton Newtonian notes object observation particular phenomena philosophy of science physical political economy population position practical Principia principles probability problem questions reasoning reference Ricardo rules scientific scientist Scots Scottish sense Smith social science society statistics term theory things thought tion true truth understanding universal Whewell writings References to this book Financial Globalisation and the Opening of the Japanese Economy James D. Malcolm,James P. Malcolm Limited preview - 2001 Introducción a la economía internacional Sergio A. Berumen Limited preview - 2006 All Book Search results » Bibliographic information Title The Rise of Political Economy as a Science: Methodology and the Classical Economists The MIT Press Author Deborah A Redman Publisher MIT Press, 2003 ISBN 0262264250, 9780262264259 Length 489 pages Subjects Business & Economics  › Economics  › General Business & Economics / Economics / General     Export Citation BiBTeX EndNote RefMan About Google Books - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Information for Publishers - Report an issue - Help - Google Home