Explorations in economic methodology

the long version

Roger Backhouse has been an active participant in the controversy over economic methodology. This collection of his essays both clarifies and responds to the issues raised by the literature and argues that methodology is an essential activity. The book begins with an application of Lakatos's methodology of scientific research programmes to contemporary macroeconomics, and subsequent chapters go on to discuss questions raised by this approach. These argue that although the methodology has severe limitations, it nevertheless provides a useful starting point. After discussing the approaches to methodology of some practising economists, the final chapters consider the perspectives on economics that result from pragmatism and empirical philosophy of science. Clarifying the issues involved, and outlining a constructive but critical response to the recent literature, this collection will be of interest to students and researchers interested in economic methodology and the philosophy of science.