J. M. Keynes' position on the general applicability of mathematical, logical and statistical methods in economics and social science

DOI10.1007/BF00869639MaRDI QIDQ1104843zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors Michael Brady

Publication date 1988

Published in Synthese (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00869639

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Mathematical economics (91B99)

Review text

The author holds that concerning the use of mathematics in economics Keynes objected to the particular misuse of certain methods rather than to the general use of quantitative methods. Among his arguments is a quotation from Keynes who declared that ``mathematical reasoning now appears as an aid in its symbolic rather than its numerical character. He also notes that Keynes' general approach is indirectly supported by the failure to improve political forecasts, or to help to explain past political events, by straightforward applications of game theory. The author claims that Keynes anticipated some modern conclusions according to which statistical analysis cannot be applied in economics just as in natural science.

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Cited in

(1)

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