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Isaac Alan, in a comment on Veblen states, 
 
     "As Veblen pointed out, this teleological bent puts 
     social science at odds with natural science, where 
     the effort to eradicate teleological explanation as 
     anything other than heuristic has been part and 
     parcel of explanatory success." 
 
 
However, the situation has recently been changing in biology. 
 
Consider, 
Mayr, Ernst. 1982 _The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and
Inheritance_  Harvard University Press Cambridge Massachusetts
 
    " To be for  or against teleology remained a battle cry throughout 
     the nineteenth century and right up to modern times. 
         Only within the last twenty-five years or so has the solution 
     become evident. It is now clear that seemingly goal-directed 
     processes exist in nature and are not in any way in conflict 
     with a strictly physico-chemical explanation.  p. 48. 
 
  
 
So, it is becoming OK, in biology to openly resort to teleological explanations. Jack
Monod's work concerning regulatory networks in molecular biology has become the basis of
what amounts to a teleological or control theory biological engineering.
 
Veblen, in the conclusion of lectures at Harvard 1899-1900 a large portion of which
examined changing conceptions of an economic agent, argued in a fashion that anticipates
Mayr's statement, saying that,
 
     "Foot-pounds, calories, geometrically progressive 
     procreation, and doses of capital, have not been 
     supplanted by the equally uncouth denominations of 
     habits, propensities, aptitudes, and conventions, 
     nor does there seem to be any probability that they 
     will be; but the discussion which continues to run 
     in terms of the former class of concepts is in an 
     increasing degree seeking support in concepts of 
     the latter class."  (p. 179.) 
 
     Veblen (19OO) "The Preconceptions of Economic Science" 
       Reprinted in _The Place of Science 
 
Later Veblen (1914) in his _The Instinct of Workmanship_ argues that, 
 
 "... all instinctive action is teleological."  p. 31. 
 "... all instinctive action is intelligent and teleological." p. 32. 
 
When Veblen is interpreted in control theory (teleological) terms, this provides a
solution to the problem absence of a systematic methodology to implement Veblen's program.
 
Control theory provides a technique capable of handling the same class of problems-- of
the sort treated in the price theory course-- but more robustly (that is inclusive of
anomalies such as the Giffen paradox), than orthodoxy's principle of maximization.
 
 
Bill Williams 
 
 
 
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