----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- At 16:49 14/9/99, J. Barkley Rosser, Jr. wrote: > Streissler makes no reference at all, at least in the IEA paper, to > Gossen. Where does he fit in and why do many English language > sources make this apparently silly claim about him? More > entrenched textbook errors a la Stigler? These issues are discussed in Yukihiro Ikeda's paper on the 'Wirkungsgeschichte' of Hermann Heinrich Gossen, forthcoming in 'Journal of Economic Studies'. Gossen worked in complete isolation and did not have an academic position. I also think that only few copies of his book have been printed. These elements help explain why he was ignored in his days. In 1878 Adamson 'rediscovered' Gossen and informed Jevons; Jevons informed Walras on the existence of the book. Therefore, there is no direct influence of Gossen on Jevons or Walras, as their principal works were first published in 1871 and 1874 respectively (moreover Jevons formed his basic ideas in the early 1860's). Ikeda writes that Menger got information on Gossen from the Dutch economist d'Aulnis, who corresponded with Jevons and Walras as well. Menger bought a copy of the book in 1886. Although Menger referred to Gossen in 1887, he remained indifferent to marginal utility theory and mathematical methods. Bert Mosselmans ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]