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Effective Tension in Robbins' Economic Methodology

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  • D. WADE HANDS

Abstract

Lionel Robbins' Essay is one of the most influential methodological works in twentieth century economics. This said, the Essay is not philosophically seamless; it exhibits certain tensions that are not easily reconciled within any specific philosophical characterization of scientific knowledge. This paper discusses these issues, but also emphasizes that these tensions did not inhibit the influence of the Essay within economics. In fact, it is argued that these philosophical tensions actually contributed to its influence. It was a methodology for economics, not for philosophers, and its influence needs to be understood within the context of 1930s marginalist economics.

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  • D. Wade Hands, 2009. "Effective Tension in Robbins' Economic Methodology," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 76(s1), pages 831-844, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:econom:v:76:y:2009:i:s1:p:831-844
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0335.2009.00791.x
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    1. R. W. Souter, 1933. ""The Nature and Significance of Economic Science" in Recent Discussion," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 47(3), pages 377-413.
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    4. Kyu Sang Lee & Philip Mirowski, 2008. "The energy behind Vernon Smith's experimental economics," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 32(2), pages 257-271, March.
    5. D. Wade Hands, 2010. "Economics, psychology and the history of consumer choice theory," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 34(4), pages 633-648.
    6. Hands,D. Wade, 2001. "Reflection without Rules," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521797962.
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    8. Robbins, Lionel [Lord], 1981. "Economics and Political Economy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(2), pages 1-10, May.
    9. Susan Howson, 2004. "The Origins of Lionel Robbins's Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science," History of Political Economy, Duke University Press, vol. 36(3), pages 413-443, Fall.
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    1. D. Wade Hands, 2014. "Paul Samuelson and Revealed Preference Theory," History of Political Economy, Duke University Press, vol. 46(1), pages 85-116, Spring.
    2. Thiago Dumont Oliveira & Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, 2018. "Of time, uncertainty, and policy-making : Lionel Robbins’ lost philosophy of political economy," Textos para Discussão Cedeplar-UFMG 580, Cedeplar, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.
    3. Thiago Dumont Oliveira & Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak, 2016. "Lionel Robbins’ first-step individualism and the prehistory of microfoundations," Textos para Discussão Cedeplar-UFMG 537, Cedeplar, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.
    4. Shiri Cohen Kaminitz, 2018. "Happiness Studies and the Problem of Interpersonal Comparisons of Satisfaction: Two Histories, Three Approaches," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 423-442, February.

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