A Countercultural Methodology: Caldwell’sBeyond Positivismat Thirty-Five☆

Kevin D. Hoover

A chapter in Including a Symposium on Bruce Caldwell’sBeyond PositivismAfter 35 Years, 2018, vol. 36A, pp 9-17 from Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Abstract: Caldwell’sBeyond Positivismwas a key publication that helped precipitate the consolidation of the methodology of economics into a distinct subfield within economics. Reconsidering it after 35 years, it is striking for itsantinaturalism(i.e., its lack of deference to the actual practices of economics) or, perhaps, for itsmeta-naturalism(displayed in its excessive deference to the philosophy of science) and for its defense of pluralism. It offers pluralism as an unsuccessful defense against dogmatism. Against Caldwell’s pluralism, dogmatism is better opposed by a commitment of fallibilism and scientific humility. Caldwell’s defense of Austrian methodology is taken as a case study to illustrate and investigate his key themes and the issues that they raise.

Keywords: Bruce Caldwell; economic methodology; positivism; naturalism; Austrian economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:rhetzz:s0743-41542018000036a002

DOI: 10.1108/S0743-41542018000036A002

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