Vol. 24 No. 1 (2004)
Articles

Dos cuestiones insuficientemente debatidas acerca de los supuestos en economía

Published 2004-05-01

Keywords

  • Teoría económica,
  • Supuestos de dominio,
  • Realismo,
  • Suposiciones irrealistas,
  • Predicciones relevantes
  • Economic theory,
  • Domain assumptions,
  • Realis,
  • Unreal assumptions,
  • Relevant predictions

Abstract

Two methodological problems obstruct the tests of economic theories: 1) usually it is not possible to ascertain whether the domain assumptions are satisfied before (and independently) of the applications of the theory; 2) if it is admissible to modify the domain assumptions of a theory, it must also be accepted that the class of its supposedly relevant predictions can be modified. Both thesis are the foundations of Friedman's argumentation against the realism of the economic assumptions, but they have not been debated explicitly and therefore, his arguments haven't received an adequate response.