Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Contributors
- Preface
- Part 1 The classical essay in twentieth-century economic methodology
- Part 2 Reading and writing a classic
- Part 3 Models, assumptions, predictions, evidence
- Part 4 Theoretical context: firm, money, expected utility, Walras and Marshall
- Part 5 Concluding perspectives
- 14 The debate over F53 after fifty years
- 15 Final word
- Index
15 - Final word
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Contributors
- Preface
- Part 1 The classical essay in twentieth-century economic methodology
- Part 2 Reading and writing a classic
- Part 3 Models, assumptions, predictions, evidence
- Part 4 Theoretical context: firm, money, expected utility, Walras and Marshall
- Part 5 Concluding perspectives
- 14 The debate over F53 after fifty years
- 15 Final word
- Index
Summary
I have somewhat mixed feelings about the splendid conference that Uskali Mäki organized on my ancient methodology article. On the one hand, it is a source of great satisfaction that an article I wrote more than fifty years ago should still be regarded as worth extensive scholarly discussion. On the other hand, that very fact is a severe condemnation of the essay. Surely, if the essay had been really lucid, scholars should not today still be having different opinions about what it says.
I have myself added to the confusion by early on adopting a policy of not replying to critiques of the article. I decided that I had a choice: I could spend my time discussing how economics should be done – a worthy cause; or I could spend my time doing economics – in my opinion, if not a more worthy, a more attractive cause. That act of self–denial has quite unintentionally been a plus for the discussion of methodology. It has left the field open for all comers, and they have all come and produced a broad stream of commentary. The articles at this conference are a good example.
I have read them all and I am impressed with their high quality and intellectual seriousness. I would not have thought that my modest essay would have relevance to so many issues. I feel like a proud father who has a large brood of bright children – all of them right, all of them wrong, and all entitled to his or her own views. Yet I am also impressed that there is a common thread that runs through them.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Methodology of Positive EconomicsReflections on the Milton Friedman Legacy, pp. 355Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009
- 2
- Cited by