L'a priori et l'a posteriori en économie
Abstract
A previous article investigated the semantic distinction between the analytical and the synthetic, and applied it to microeconomics; in the present one, the fundamental propositions of this field come to terms with the epistemological distinction between the a priori and the a posteriori (or empirical), while an attempt is made to systematize the four concepts. After restating the Kantian definition of the a priori and the famous problem of the synthetic a priori, we introduce two major interpretations of fundamental propositions, i.e., empiricism (as illustrated by the English classical school) and apriorism (as illustrated by von Mises within the Austrian neoclassical school). We rebut both interpretations, the latter with more detail than the former.We conclude that the fundamental propositions are synthetic but neither a priori, nor a posteriori, a category which evades standard divisions. We defend this novel interpretation by studying the law of diminishing returns and the convexity assumption for production sets.Download Info
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Bibliographic Info
Article provided by De Boeck Université in its journal Recherches économiques de Louvain.
Volume (Year): 73 (2007)
Issue (Month): 1 ()
Pages: 5-53
Contact details of provider:
Web page: http://www.cairn.info/revue-recherches-economiques-de-louvain.htm
Related research
Keywords:Other versions of this item:
- Philippe MONGIN, 2007. "L’a-priori et l’a posteriori en économie," Discussion Papers (REL - Recherches Economiques de Louvain) 2007011, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
- Philippe Mongin, 2005. "L'apriori et l'a posteriori en économie," Working Papers hal-00243013, HAL.
- MONGIN, Philippe, 2006. "L'a priori et l'a posteriori en Economie," Les Cahiers de Recherche 849, HEC Paris.
- B21 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Microeconomics
- B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
- D20 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - General
References
References listed on IDEASPlease report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Mongin, Philippe, 1998.
"Does optimization imply rationality?,"
MPRA Paper
37740, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- P. Mongin, 1998. "Does optimization imply rationality ?," THEMA Working Papers 98-17, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.
- Mongin, P., 1998. "Does Optimization Imply Rationality?," Papers 9817, Paris X - Nanterre, U.F.R. de Sc. Ec. Gest. Maths Infor..
- Philippe Mongin, 2003.
"L'axiomatisation et les théories économiques,"
Revue économique,
Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 54(1), pages 99-138.
- P. Mongin, 1999. "L'axiomatisation et les théories économiques," THEMA Working Papers 99-45, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.
- Debreu, Gerard, 1993. "Existence of competitive equilibrium," Handbook of Mathematical Economics, in: K. J. Arrow & M.D. Intriligator (ed.), Handbook of Mathematical Economics, edition 4, volume 2, chapter 15, pages 697-743 Elsevier.
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