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Economics is philosophy, economics is not science

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  • Rupert Read

Abstract

An environmentalist's outlook is typically claimed to be based on or even constituted by sound science. It would be natural then for a version of economics based on such insights to claim to be 'even more' scientific than traditional economics. I argue for a conclusion radically opposed to this. I suggest that a genuinely green economics will/should eschew any claims to scientificity. I aim to liberate economics from the albatross of scientific ambition. I urge greens not to try to legitimate their aspirations for the world and for society principally by means of science, but rather to embrace green economics as a point of view that has at its heart an endless love of and faith in life. I submit that economics is not science, but rather philosophy, and that a Green political philosophy of life will suffer, and not profit, from pretending otherwise.

Suggested Citation

  • Rupert Read, 2007. "Economics is philosophy, economics is not science," International Journal of Green Economics, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(3/4), pages 307-325.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgrec:v:1:y:2007:i:3/4:p:307-325
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Norton, Bryan & Costanza, Robert & Bishop, Richard C., 1998. "The evolution of preferences: Why 'sovereign' preferences may not lead to sustainable policies and what to do about it," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(2-3), pages 193-211, February.
    2. Mirowski,Philip, 2002. "Machine Dreams," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521772839, October.
    3. Mirowski,Philip, 2002. "Machine Dreams," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521775267, October.
    4. Cooter, Robert & Rappoport, Peter, 1984. "Were the Ordinalists Wrong about Welfare Economics?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 22(2), pages 507-530, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fuchs, Matthias, 2023. "A post-Cartesian economic and Buddhist view on tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    2. Rupert Read, 2011. "There are no such things as ‘commodities’: a research note," The Journal of Philosophical Economics, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, The Journal of Philosophical Economics, vol. 4(2), pages 93-104, May.

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