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Formalism came in a simpler time when economists believed that clear 
thinking would suffice to find commonly accepted truths.  Formalism 
brought its own intellectual demise [though it still is dominant in the 
university world] since clever economists could always twist an 
assumption or two to avoid the conclusion of any formal model. 
 
I know that mathematics became enfatuated with formalism slightly before 
economists did.  Was the mathematics debate similar to our own?  How do 
they now regard pure formalism? 
 
-- 
Michael Perelman 
Economics Department 
California State University 
Chico, CA 95929 
 
Tel. 916-898-5321 
E-Mail [log in to unmask] 
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