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Samuelson’s operationally meaningful theorems: reflections of E. B. Wilson’s methodological attitude

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  • Juan Carvajalino

Abstract

This paper sheds new light on Samuelson’s early methodology as presented in his Foundations of Economic Analysis (1947) by reflecting on the similarity between his mathematical economics and Edwin B. Wilson’s mathematics. Wilson was Samuelson’s professor of advanced mathematical and statistical economics; he was also a protégé of Josiah Willard Gibbs. Wilson defined mathematics as a language that consisted of three interconnected aspects: postulational, axiomatic, and operational. In his Foundations, in a Wilsonian style, Samuelson wrote in the opening page, ‘Mathematics is a Language’ and claimed that he offered operationally meaningful theorems. In this paper, it is argued that these maxims embodied Wilson’s approach, which framed Samuelson’s mathematical and statistical thinking around 1940 and which led him to present his work as being mathematically, theoretically, and empirically well founded. Wilson’s and Percy Bridgman’s operational methodologies are also compared and Wilson is presented as a mediator between Bridgman and Samuelson.

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  • Juan Carvajalino, 2018. "Samuelson’s operationally meaningful theorems: reflections of E. B. Wilson’s methodological attitude," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 143-159, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jecmet:v:25:y:2018:i:2:p:143-159
    DOI: 10.1080/1350178X.2017.1421769
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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Timponelli, 2021. "From Pareto to Bridgman: The Operational Turn of Samuelson, Sraffa and Leontief," Annals of the Fondazione Luigi Einaudi. An Interdisciplinary Journal of Economics, History and Political Science, Fondazione Luigi Einaudi, Torino (Italy), vol. 55(1), pages 303-328, June.
    2. Herrade Igersheim, 2022. "Rawls and the Economists: The (Im)possible Dialogue," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 73(6), pages 1013-1037.
    3. Cherrier, Beatrice & Svorenčík, Andrej, 2017. "Defining Excellence: 70 Years of John Bates Clark Medals," SocArXiv bacmj, Center for Open Science.

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