SHOE Archives

Societies for the History of Economics

SHOE@YORKU.CA

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Condense Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Date:
Fri Mar 31 17:18:29 2006
Message-ID:
<v03007802af3380601acd@[129.74.55.99]>
Subject:
From:
[log in to unmask] (Kevin Quinn)
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (27 lines)
===================== HES POSTING ===================== 
 
Although *explicit* attention to Weber's methodological writings has been 
limited among economists to the Austrians, the baleful influence of Weber's 
call for value-free social science has made its way into every intro text 
in some form or another. Even in a time when the critique of postivism has 
finally made its way (30 years late) into the margins of the profession, 
this last dogma of empiricism--the separation of fact from value--remains 
more or less impregnable. The closely related idea that reason cannot have 
a place in the choice of ends but only applies to the selection of 
means--an idea that of course did not originate with Weber, but was given 
some of its most memorable formulations by him**--unites, e.g., the 
Austrians with the neo-classicals depite their otherwise significant 
differences. Here is one part of Weber's legacy to economics, to social 
thought generally, that deserves to be re-examined. 
 
Kevin Quinn 
 
**Weber's notion of "value-ratonality" was not, despite the sounds of it, a 
conception of a non-instrumental reason. Those who are value-rational 
follow norms that are arbitrary. 
 
============ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ============ 
For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask] 
 
 

ATOM RSS1 RSS2