For citation:
Dyatel, E. P. (2021). The Status of Economic Theory as a Scientific and Educational Discipline. Zhurnal Еkonomicheskoj Тeorii [Russian Journal of Economic Theory], 18(3), 374-388. https://doi.org/10.31063/2073-6517/2021.18-3.4.
Abstract:
The article examines the place of economic theory in the structure of scientific knowledge and its role in creating human capital. The comparative analysis focuses on the way knowledge is organized in natural (physics) and social (economics) disciplines. It is suggested that theoretical economics lies at the core of economic science, and there is also a protective belt of «auxiliary hypotheses» (I. Lakatos) comprising a range of economic theories (from political economy to neo-institutional economics) appears. Their categorical foundation coincides with objective knowledge (in the terminology of K. Popper), which should include basic categories, logical and mathematical methods, micro-economic bases of analysis, etc. Microeconomics is aimed at building mathematical models that reflect the rational behavior of economic agents. Its in-depth study is the prerogative of «textbooks for scientists» (in the classification of B. Bolzano). Within the higher education system, ‘microeconomic theory’ is studied at the level of postgraduate studies, which means that the disciplines that form the core of the economic science should be studied more intensively at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. In Master’s programs, what comes to the fore is the ‘textbooks for business people’ or the economy of industrial markets. The economy of industrial markets and other similar disciplines based on the categorical foundation of microeconomics offer practically oriented training (case studies and know-how). The content of economic theories includes a worldview component, which largely coincides with implicit (personal) knowledge (in the interpretation of M. Polanyi). This is where originates the critical attitude towards previous theories and progressive trends in the development of economic science. The factor that contributes to the formation of the ‘economic way of thinking’ (textbooks addressed to wider public) in the senior classes of specialized schools or at the level of Bachelor’s programs.
Aristotle (1978). Sochineniya v 4-kh tomakh [The works, 4 volume set]. Moscow, Russia: Mysl’. (In Russ.)
Bertalanffy, L. von. (1969). Obshchaya teoriya sistem— obzor problem i rezul’tatov [General System Theory: A Survey]. Sistemnye issledovaniy [General System Theory. Foundations, Development, Applications]. Moscow, Russia: Nauka, 30–54. (In Russ.)
Blaug, M. (1994). Ekonomicheskaya mysl’ v retrospective [Economic thought in Retrospect]. Moscow, Russia: Delo Ltd, 687. (In Russ.)
Blaug, M. (2004). Metodologiya ekonomicheskoy nauki, ili Kak ekonomisty ob’yasnyayut [The Methodology of Economics or How Economists Explain]. Translated by Yu. V. Avtonomov. Moscow, Russia: Zhurn. Voprosy ekonomiki, 415. (In Russ.)
Bolzano, B. (2003). Uchenie o nauke. (Izbrannoe) [Theory of Science. A selection]. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Nauka, 518. (In Russ.)
Wigner, E. (1968). Nepostizhimaya effektivnost’ matematiki v estestvennykh naukakh [The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences]. Uspekhi fizicheskikh nauk [Advances in Physical Sciences], 94(3), 535–546. (In Russ.)
Varian, H. R. (1997). Mikroekonomika. Promezhutochnyy uroven’. Sovre-mennyy podkhod: uchebnik dlya vuzov [Intermediate Microeconomics: A modern approach]. Moscow, Russia: YuNITI, 767. (In Russ.)
Grebennikov, P. I. (2020). O modernizatsii kursa “Makroekonomika” [On the modernization of the course “Macroeconomics”]. Voprosy teoreticheskoy ekonomiki [Theoretical Economics], 2(7), 7–35. (In Russ.)
Dyatel, E. P. (2019). Kriterii nauchnoy dostovernosti i sposoby povyshe-niya evristicheskogo potentsiala ekonomicheskoy teorii [Scientific criteria and means of enhancing the heuristic potential of economic theory]. Zhurnal Еkonomicheskoj Тeorii [Russian Journal of Economic Theory], 16(3), 513–527. (In Russ.)
Ivanitsky, V. P. & Dyatel, E. P. (2021). Sistemno-strukturnyy podkhod k formirovaniyu ponyatiynogo apparata politicheskoy ekonomii [System-Structural Approach to the Formation of a Conceptual Apparatus of Political Economy]. Idei i idealy [Ideas and Ideals], 13(2), 239–265. (In Russ.)
Lakatos, I. (1978). Istoriya nauki i ee ratsional’nye rekonstruk-tsii [History of Science and Its Rational Reconstructions]. Struktura i razvitie nauki. Iz Bostonskikh issledovaniy po filosofii nauki [Structure and development of science. Boston studies in the Philosophy of Science]. Moscow, Russia: Progress, 203–235. (In Russ.)
Lemeshchenko, P. S. (2011). Teoreticheskaya ekonomika: istoki, predmet, metodologiya [Theoretical Economy: origin, subject methodology]. Teoreticheskaya ekonomika [Theoretical Economy], 1, 17–34. (In Russ.)
Marx, K. & Engels, F. (1956). Razmyshleniya yunoshi pri vybore professii [Reflections of a young man on the choice of profession]. Marx K., Engels F. Iz rannikh proizvedeniy [Marx, Engels from different early works]. Moscow, Russia, 1–5. (In Russ.)
Marx, K. & Engels, F. (1954). Soch. [Collected works]. 2nd Edition. Vol. 3, 20, 23. Moscow, Russia: Gospolitizdat. (In Russ.)
Marshall, A. (1983). Printsipy politicheskoy ekonomii [Principles of Economics]. Moscow, Russia: Progress, 415. (In Russ.)
Mas-Colell, A., Whinston, M. & Green, J. (2016). Mikroekonomicheskaya teoriya [Microeconomic theory]. Moscow, Russia: Delo, 1333. (In Russ.)
Mill, J. S. (1980). Osnovy politicheskoy ekonomii [Principles of Political Economy]. Moscow, Russia: Progress, 495. (In Russ.)
Nelson, R. & Winter, S. (2002). Evolyutsionnaya teoriya ekonomicheskikh izmeneniy [An evolutionary Theory of Economic change]. Moscow, Russia: Delo, 535. (In Russ.)
Nureev, R. M. (2014). Kritika bazovykh predposylok sovremennykh makroekonomicheskikh teoriy [The critics of basic assumptions of modern macroeconomics]. Moscow, Russia: Institut ekonomiki RAN, 54. (In Russ.)
Orekhovsky, P. A. (2021). Bol’shoe slepoe pyatno ekonomicheskoy nauki [Big blind spot of economic science]. Voprosy teoreticheskoy ekonomiki [Theoretical Economics], 3(12), 145–152. (In Russ.)
Pakhomova, N. V. & Rikhter K. K. (2009). Ekonomika otraslevykh rynkov i politika gosudarstva [Economics of sectoral markets and government policy]. Moscow, Russia: Ekonomika, 815. (In Russ.)
Polanyi, M. (1985). Lichnostnoe znanie [Personal knowledge]. Moscow, Russia: Progress, 344. (In Russ.)
Popper, K. (2002). Ob’ektivnoe znanie. Evolyutsionnyy podkhod [Objective knowledge: an Evolutionary Approach]. Moscow, Russia: Editorial URSS, 384. (In Russ.)
Poincare, A. (1990). O nauke [The value of science]. Moscow, Russia: Nauka, 736. (In Russ.)
Rikardo, D. (1950). Nachala politicheskoy ekonomii i nalogovogo oblozheniya [Principles of Political Economy and Taxation]. Moscow, Russia: Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo politicheskoy literatury, 360. (In Russ.)
Smith, A. (1962). Issledovanie o prirode i prichinakh bogatstva narodov [An inquire into the Nature and causes of the wealth of nations]. Moscow, Russia: Sotsekgiz, 684. (In Russ.)
Tambovtsev, V. L. (2020). Neproduktivnost’ popytok metodologicheskogo sinteza [Unproductivity of the Methodological Fusion’s attempts]. Voprosy teoreticheskoy ekonomiki [Theoretical Economics], 3, 7–31. (In Russ.)
Tatarkin, A. I. & Bersenev, V. L. (2006). Politicheskaya ekonomiya i ekonomiks: osobennoe i obshchee [Political Economy and economics: particular and general]. Zhurnal Еkonomicheskoj Тeorii [Russian Journal of Economic Theory], 4, 5–14. (In Russ.)
Tirole, J. (1996). Rynki i rynochnaya vlast’: Teoriya organizatsii promyshlennosti [market power and regulation]. Saint Peterburg, Russia: Ekonomicheskaya shkola, 745. (In Russ.)
Williamson, O. (1996). Ekonomicheskie instituty kapitalizma. Firmy, rynki, “otnoshencheskaya” kontraktatsiya [The economic institutions of capitalism: firms, markets, relational contracting]. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Lenizdat, 702. (In Russ.)
Friedman, M. (1994). Metodologiya pozitivnoy ekonomicheskoy nauki [The methodology of positive economics]. Thesis: teoriya i istoriya ekonomicheskikh i sotsial’nykh institutov i system [Theory and history of Economic and social institutions and system], 4, 20–52. (In Russ.)
Heilbroner, R. L. (1993). Ekonomicheskaya teoriya kak universal’naya nauka [Economics as Universal Science]. THESIS, 1, 41–55. (In Russ.)
Heyne, P. (1997). Ekonomicheskiy obraz myshleniya [The economic way of thinking]. Moscow, Russia: Katalaksiya, 704. (In Russ.)
Schumpeter, J. A. (2001). Istoriya ekonomicheskogo analiza [History of economic analysis]. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Ekonomicheskaya shkola. (In Russ.)
Cantillon, R. (2001). An Essay on the Nature of Commerce in General. Paris: Coppet Institute, 216.
de Clippel, G. & Rozen, K. (2021). Bounded Rationality and Limited Data Sets. Theoretical Economics, 16, 359–380.
de Clippel, G., Eliaz, K., Fershtman, D. & Rozen, K. (2021). On selecting the right agent. Theoretical Economics, 16, 381–402.
Schumpeter, J. A. (2006). History of Economic Analysis. England, UK: Routledge, 1312.
Heilbroner, R. (1991). Economics as a Universal Science. Social Research: An International Quarterly, 58(2), 457–474.
Mas-Colell, A., Whinston, M. & Green, J. R. (1995). Microeconomic Theory. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 998.
Tirole, J. (1988). The Theory of Industrial Organization. Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England: MIT Press, 496.
Wigner, E. (1960). The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences. Communications on pure and Applied Mathematics, 13(1), 1–14.