Additional Information
Book Details
Abstract
'While identifying two types of activity, namely econ-art and econ-science, he demonstrates why economists should acknowledge their artistic impulses and develop a more scientific conduct.' ARTbibliographies Modern
Historians of economic thought have long recognised the possibility that cultural influences might be important, but have never analysed them in any detail. In the first study of economics from the perspective of art history, Rick Szostak shows how the cultural influences identified by art historians have affected economic theory. He also reveals that not only has economic theory been informed by aesthetic considerations, but the very methods employed by economists are shown to serve primarily artistic goals.
Professor Szostak assesses the extent of these cultural and aesthetic effects through a wide-ranging study of the development of surrealism, cubism and abstract art, juxtaposed with examples drawn from virtually every field of economics. Two types of endeavour are identified, Econ-Art and Econ-Science. Szostak argues that the pursuit of econ-science would be much aided if economists first recognised their artistic impulses, and then developed more scientific standards of conduct. As the first economist to thoroughly address the question of whether Economics is Art, Professor Szostak raises some important philosophical issues with this volume. The result is a controversial and scholarly, yet accessible, examination of the influence of both culture and aesthetic considerations on economics.
Table of Contents
Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Contents | v | ||
Acknowledgements | viii | ||
Preface | x | ||
Chapter One: Art and Science | 1 | ||
1.1 Unveiling Econ- Art | 1 | ||
1.2 The Question of Purpose | 3 | ||
1.3 The Purpose of Art | 6 | ||
1.4 Art versus Science | 8 | ||
1.5 Science versus Art | 6 | ||
1.6 Art and the Act of Insight | 16 | ||
1.7 A Micro View | 17 | ||
1.8 Culture and Economics | 19 | ||
Chapter Two: Surrealism | 24 | ||
2.1 Modern Art | 24 | ||
2.2 The Roots of Surrealism | 24 | ||
2.3 Surrealism | 25 | ||
2.4 Surrealism in Econ- Art | 28 | ||
2.5 Who Cares About Reality? | 30 | ||
2.6 Toward a Better World? | 35 | ||
2.7 Primitive Man | 39 | ||
2.8 An Orderly World | 41 | ||
2.9 The Quest for Understanding | 44 | ||
2.10 An Antidote to Nationalism | 47 | ||
2.11 Suspicion of Authority | 48 | ||
Chapter Three: Cubism and More | 51 | ||
3.1 Cubism | 51 | ||
3.2 The Cubist View of Time | 3 | ||
3.3 Technological Incursions | 55 | ||
3.4 Return to the Classics | 56 | ||
3.5 A Brief Look Back | 58 | ||
3.6 Abstract and Non- Objective Art | 59 | ||
3.7 Self- Reference in Econ- Art | 8 | ||
3.8 The Pursuit of Linearity | 65 | ||
3.9 The Econ- Art Manifesto | 68 | ||
Chapter Four: Mathematics as Art | 71 | ||
4.1 The Deification of Technique | 71 | ||
4.2 Maths as Art | 75 | ||
4.3 Automatic Writing | 77 | ||
4.4 Maths as Science? | 79 | ||
4.5 Yet Another Perversion | 86 | ||
4.6 There Exists a Model | 86 | ||
4.7 Maths is Easy | 88 | ||
4.8 Maths is Unreal | 89 | ||
4.9 Mathematics versus Science | 90 | ||
4.10 An Example: General Equilibrium | 92 | ||
4.11 A Second Example: Econometrics | 96 | ||
Chapter Five: Ideology | 102 | ||
5.1 Ideology in Art | 102 | ||
5.2 Ideology in Econ- Art | 106 | ||
5.3 Power | 112 | ||
5.4 Ideology and the Great Depression | 114 | ||
Chapter Six: Econ-Art/ Econ-Science | 118 | ||
6.1 The Existence of Econ- Art | 118 | ||
6.2 Econ- Art/ Econ- Science | 118 | ||
6.3 The Quest for Econ- Science | 120 | ||
6.4 A Lesser Purpose | 5 | ||
6.5 Artistic Detachment | 124 | ||
6.6 The Existence of Econ- Science | 128 | ||
Chapter Seven: Improving Econ-Science | 131 | ||
7.1 Improving Econ- Science | 131 | ||
7.2 Reality | 132 | ||
7.3 Truth versus Beauty | 137 | ||
7.4 Philosophy of Science | 141 | ||
7.5 Pancritical Rationalism | 6 | ||
7.6 Truth | 144 | ||
7.7 Rhetoric | 146 | ||
7.8 The Big Picture | 149 | ||
7.9 Methodological Diversity | 154 | ||
7.10 A Concrete Example | 160 | ||
7.11 Theoretical Diversity | 160 | ||
7.12 Intellectual Honesty | 13 | ||
7.13 Interdisciplinarity | 166 | ||
7.14 The Role of the Critic | 169 | ||
Chapter Eight: The Future of Econ-Science | 171 | ||
8.1 A Paradigm Shift? | 171 | ||
8.2 Normal versus Revolutionary Science | 177 | ||
8.3 Putting Equilibrium in its Place | 179 | ||
8.4 Postmodernism | 180 | ||
8.5 We Eat Our Young | 181 | ||
8.6 But thou economic history, though thou be little among the thousands of econ | 185 | ||
8.7 Preaching What I Practise | 188 | ||
8.8 The Survey of Economists | 196 | ||
8.9 Rules of the Game | 199 | ||
8.10 What of Econ- Art? | 202 | ||
Notes | 203 | ||
Notes to Preface | 203 | ||
Notes to Chapter One | 203 | ||
Notes to Chapter Two | 207 | ||
Notes to Chapter Three | 211 | ||
Notes to Chapter Four | 214 | ||
Notes to Chapter Five | 220 | ||
Notes to Chapter Six | 223 | ||
Notes to Chapter Seven | 225 | ||
Notes to Chapter Eight | 230 | ||
References | 235 | ||
Index | 249 | ||
Aaron, H., | 126 |