Mathematical needs and economic interpretations

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Mathematical needs and economic interpretations

Author Info

Miguel A. Durán () (Department of Economic Theory and Economic History, University of Granada)

Abstract

This paper aims at showing that the disconnection between formal structures and theoretical content in economic model building could lead to undesirable consequences. In this sense, linking formal and verbal contents by means of coherent and relevant interpretations is worth the effort. For it is a relatively simple way of helping to improve the usefulness of mathematical economic theorization. By way of illustration of these ideas, the paper discusses the interpretation which Arrow and Debreu themselves put on the inclusion of free goods in their proof of existence of a general equilibrium.

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Paper provided by Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada. in its series ThE Papers with number 05/07.

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Length: 30 pages
Date of creation: 01 Jun 2005
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:gra:wpaper:05/07

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This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

NEP-ALL-2005-06-05 (All new papers)
NEP-HPE-2005-06-05 (History & Philosophy of Economics)

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Gerard Debreu, 1956. "Market Equilibrium," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 10, Cowles Foundation, Yale University. [Downloadable!]
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Other versions:
- Ted Bergstrom, 1976. "How to Discard Free Disposability--At No Cost," University of California at Santa Barbara, Economics Working Paper Series 1976C, Department of Economics, UC Santa Barbara. [Downloadable!]
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