Droga ekonomii wolnej od wartościowania do epistemologicznej pychy. Użycie i nadużycie matematyki przez ekonomistów

• Authors: Aleksander Ostapiuk

Title variants

EN

Value-free economics’ road towar Value-free economics’ road towards epistemological hubris. The use and abuse of mathematics by economists

• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

PL

The goal of the article is to substantiate that despite the criticism the paradigm in economics will not change because of the axiomatic assumptions of value-free economics. How these assumptions work is demonstrated on the example of Gary Becker’s economic approach which is analyzed from the perspective of scientific research programme (Lakatos). The author indicates hard core of economic approach (maximization of utility, instrumental rationality) and the protective belt which makes hard core immune from any criticism. This immunity leads economists to believe that they are objective scientists and, consequently, it results in epistemological hubris. Due to its tautological nature (and other problems), economic approach is considered to be a degenerative programme. This conclusion is extended on value-free economics. In spite of these problems, many economists still believe in positive economics and they dismiss normative approaches. It has a negative influence on people (well-being, choices over time). The conclusion of the article is that thanks to axiomatic assumptions economists do not have objective and ironclad methodology and they should accept normative values in their research.

Keywords

PL

podejście ekonomiczne; naukowy program badawczy; filozofia ekonomii; ekonomia wolna od wartościowania

EN

economic approach; scientific research programme; philosophy of economics; value-free economics

• Publisher: Copernicus Center Press
• Journal: Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce
• Year: 2019
• Issue: 67
• Pages: 153-202

Dates

published

2019-11-18

Contributors

author

Aleksander Ostapiuk