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Introducing Formalism in Economics : von Neumann's growth model reconsidered

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  • Sandye Gloria-Palermo

    (GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - UNS - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

The objective is to interpret John von Neumann's growth model as a decisive step of the forthcoming formalist revolution of the 1950s in economics. This model gave rise to an impressive variety of comments about its classical or neoclassical underpinnings. We go beyond this traditional criterion and interpret rather this model as the manifestation of von Neumann's involvement in the formalist programme of mathematician David Hilbert. We discuss the impact of Kurt Gödel's discoveries on this programme. We show that the growth model reflects the pragmatic turn of the formalist programme after Gödel and proposes the extension of modern axiomatisation to economics.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandye Gloria-Palermo, 2010. "Introducing Formalism in Economics : von Neumann's growth model reconsidered," Post-Print halshs-00726348, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00726348
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00726348
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Blaug, Mark, 2003. "The Formalist Revolution of the 1950s," Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(2), pages 145-156, June.
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    5. Philippe Mongin, 2003. "L'axiomatisation et les théories économiques," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 54(1), pages 99-138.
    6. Weintraub, E Roy, 1983. "On the Existence of a Competitive Equilibrium: 1930-1954," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 21(1), pages 1-39, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Marchionatti, Roberto & Mornati, Fiorenzo, 2014. "Economic Theories in Competition. A New Narrative of the Debate on General Economic Equilibrium Theory in the 1930s," CESMEP Working Papers 201404, University of Turin.
    2. Roberto Marchionatti Author-Email: roberto.marchionatti@unito.it & Fiorenzo Mornati Author-Email: fiorenzo.mornati@unito.it, 2016. "Economic Theories in Competition A New Narrative of the Debate on the General Economic Equilibrium Theory in the 1930s," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 63(5), pages 503-523, December.
    3. Simone Landini & Mauro Gallegati & J. Barkley Rosser, 2020. "Consistency and incompleteness in general equilibrium theory," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 205-230, January.
    4. Arthur Brackmann Netto, 2017. "The Double Edge of Case-Studies: A Frame-Based Definition of Economic Models," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2017_21, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).

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