On November 20, Robin Neill wrote: 
 
>So, I am reading THE PROMISE OF PRAGMATISM. 
>What comes to mind is the following question.  With the 
>advent of a new epistemology and psychology, following 
>the work of Pierce, James and Dewey [the Pragmatists], 
>T.B. Veblen called on economists to abandon the old 
>Associationist epistemology and psychology; that is,  to 
>bring Economics into line with Pragmatism [in his phrase, 
>make it an evolutionary science].  Since 1950 (or 
>whenever you wish to set the date) Pragmatism has been 
>replaced by [succeeded by, improved upon by, has led into, 
>has degenerated into] Postmodern Deconstructionism.  
>The latter presents yet another [an alternative, an 
>improved upon, a contradictory] epistemology-psychology 
>with which to speculate about the problem of [the crisis of] 
>knowledge.  Is anyone calling for an updating of 
>Economics on the basis of Postmodern 
>Deconstructionism?  What is the significance of 
>Economics' continued reliance on `the old 
>Associationist epistemology-psychology'?  Or, is there 
>some other question that should be asked with respect to 
>this matter?  Is positive, quantitative economics 
>Pragmatic?  In what sense? 
> [log in to unmask] 
 
I don't understand Robin's statement that "pragmatism has 
been replaced by postmodern deconstructionism."  Who are 
some of the current Pragmatists?  Offhand, I would say 
folks like Richard Rorty, Richard Bernstein and Cornell 
West.  To characterize them and others like them as 
postmodern deconstructionists shows little understanding of 
their intellectual positions--admittedly different from turn of 
the century pragmatists.  In economics, the work of 
McCloskey follows closely Rorty's criticism of philosophy, 
so, in a sense, there has been an updating of economics, 
although in the newer vein of pragmatism.  In terms of an 
updating of economics via pomo decon, I would say that 
Resnick and Wolff have attempted something along those 
lines in their work on overdeterminism (ala Althusser). 
 
Jonathon Mote 
1822 Chestnut #3F 
Philly, PA 
[log in to unmask]