Category Archives: Philosophy

Empty Theory: A Response to James R McLean on Michael Emmet Brady’s Purported Theories of Decision-Making

Posted on August 31, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

James R McLean has written a fairly coherent piece on my challenge to Michael Emmet Brady. He has also given me a rather nice point of departure with which to make my case against Brady. He has done so by … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Theory, Philosophy, Psychology | 5 Comments

Short-Period and Long-Period Analysis: Neoclassical Versus Historical

Posted on August 28, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

In my previous post I was concerned with summarising Lawson’s argument regarding the term “neoclassical” for an audience that was not going to read his paper in full. Thus, I did not wish to insert too much of my own … Continue reading →

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What is Neoclassical Economics? And Are Many Heterodox Economists Actually Neoclassical?

Posted on August 27, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

After my recent post on a paper by Tony Lawson I was corresponding with the author and he suggested that I might want to take a look at a paper he has written that will be coming out in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Theory, Philosophy | 8 Comments

Mathesis Universalis: Lawson’s Criticisms Fall Short of their Real Target

Posted on August 23, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

Lars Syll has linked to a really interesting paper by Tony Lawson amidst a discussion about maths and modelling in economics. The paper really is worth a read in its entirety. It is entitled Mathematical Modelling and Ideology in the Economics … Continue reading →

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Marxism, Alienation, the Unhappy Consciousness and Gnostic Trickery

Posted on August 14, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

Here I just want to lay out, to supplement my last post, a quick note on what seems to me an epistemological error in Marxist philosophy — one that results from an inability to follow dialectical logic to its conclusion … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Psychology | 7 Comments

Marx, Hegel, the Labour Theory of Value and Human Desire

Posted on August 13, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

Hour-long, by hour, may we two stand When we’re dead, between these lands The sun set behind his eyes And Joe said, “Is this desire?” — PJ Harvey, ‘Is This Desire?‘ I’ll be honest: I hate discussing Marx, dialectical materialism … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Theory, Philosophy, Psychology | 20 Comments

Borrowing from Science: Philip Mirowski on Contemporary Neoliberalism

Posted on August 9, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

The historian of thought Philip Mirowski has published a very interesting piece entitled The Thirteen Commandments of Neoliberalism. The first and most important point to comment on is the following: It is noteworthy that [Mont Pelerin Society] members began to … Continue reading →

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Mises and Freud: Another Heroic Misreading

Posted on August 7, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

You know that I want your loving But my logic tells me that it ain’t never gonna happen And then my defenses say I didn’t want it anyway But you know sometimes I’m a liar — Violent Femmes, ‘Promise‘ Ugh… … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Psychology | 16 Comments

Joan Robinson and the Labor Theory of Value

Posted on August 7, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

Here’s an interesting thought from Geoff Harcourt on Joan Robinson’s relationship with the Marxist economist (and possible Soviet infiltrator) Maurice Dobb which also goes into what she thought about the labour theory of value (excuse the Americanised spelling in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Theory, Philosophy | 31 Comments

Why Kant’s and Mises’ Studies of Man Were Based on a Logical Contradiction

Posted on August 2, 2013 by pilkingtonphil

While I do not really want to deal with the Austrians on this blog — let alone Mises who, together with Rothbard, was the most muddled and mediocre of the school — nevertheless I think it might be worthwhile making … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Theory, Philosophy | 4 Comments