IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/cvv/journ5/v3y2016i3p429-457.html

Scientifically Unacceptable Established Knowledge in Demography and in Economic Research

Author

Listed:
  • Ron W. NIELSEN

    (Griffith University, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Australia)

Abstract

The established knowledge in demography and in the economic research is based on the concept of Malthusian stagnation and on the associated concept of the escape from the Malthusian trap. These two fundamental concepts were gradually enforced by numerous other related postulates all aimed at explaining the mechanism of the historical growth of population and of the historical economic growth. Examples of publications based on the established knowledge are closely examined. They are used to show why the established knowledge is scientifically unacceptable. It is also pointed out that the established knowledge is contradicted by data and by their analyses. Interpretations of the historical economic growth and of the historical growth of population has to be based on accepting hyperbolic growth. However, the discussed examples point to a more serious problem in these two fields of research. It is a fundamental systemic problem, the problem associated with the way research is conducted. Doctrines, interpretations and declarations used by the established knowledge have to be accepted by faith. Data are either ignored or manipulated to support preconceived ideas. Contradicting evidence is methodically ignored. To be recognised as science, demographic and economic research has to adhere to the scientific rules of investigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ron W. NIELSEN, 2016. "Scientifically Unacceptable Established Knowledge in Demography and in Economic Research," Journal of Economics Library, EconSciences Journals, vol. 3(3), pages 429-457, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:cvv:journ5:v:3:y:2016:i:3:p:429-457
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://econsciences.com/index.php/JEL/article/download/918/1000
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: http://econsciences.com/index.php/JEL/article/view/918
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • A10 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - General
    • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
    • A23 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Graduate
    • B22 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Macroeconomics
    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
    • C12 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Hypothesis Testing: General
    • Y80 - Miscellaneous Categories - - Related Disciplines - - - Related Disciplines

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:cvv:journ5:v:3:y:2016:i:3:p:429-457. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Bilal KARGI (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.econsciences.com/index.php/JEL .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.