================== HES POSTING ===================== 
 
Re the original question about mainstream economics being dominated  
by logical positivism 
 
The question has to do with the influence of logical positivism on  
economics. Roger, Bruce, Wade and now Evan all seem to agree that  
this particular philosophy does not have much influence on the  
practice of economics today. While Friedman's and Lipsey's names have  
surfaced in the ensuing discussion, why has there been no mention of  
TW Hutchison (economics) and AJ Ayer (philosophy) - two individuals  
who surely had much to do with the dissemination of logical  
positivism within the English-speaking world? [The title of Ch 6 of  
Bruce's 'Beyond Positivism' is 'Robbins versus Hutchison - The  
Introduction of Positivism in Economic Methodology. In his 'Appraisal  
and Criticism in Economics' Bruce distinguishes between classical  
positivism, logical positivism and positivism and goes on to date  
'the beginning of the positivist epoch in economics as 1938'.] 
 
 
John Hart, Economics 
University of Natal 
Durban, South Africa 
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