[lbo-talk] This is Your Pilot Slurring

[Philip Pilkington]

Keynes provides both (1) an explanation (based on the ontological,
anthropological and psychological ideas he claims provide the appropriate
framework for social theory - the most important of them, from this
perspective, being the ontological idea of "internal relations") of the
limited applicability of axiomatic deductive reasoning in general and
mathematical reasoning in particular in economics and (2) an explanation, in
terms of the psychoanalysis of obsessional neurosis, of the immunity of
those who uncritically identify "science" - including "social science" -
with such reasoning to rational critique.

Absolutely, from what I've read of Keynes I'd agree... he was willing to
look inwards before "projecting" outward; he established an epistemology
before making grandiose claims. Unfortunately people still use his work as a
sort of framework from which to launch into the very deadlocks he seems to
have, for the most part, avoided.

However, I still think that, from said epistemological point of view, Marx
is superior. Marx NEVER makes any grandiose statements (hence the infinite
interpretations). He allows for an open system taking every piece of
empirical data into account before putting forward any "meta"-theory. If
economists could discipline themselves in this regard we'd have far less
rubbish.

P.S, Its refreshing to see an economist with such a decent grasp of
psychoanalytic theory... Schumpeter seems to have supported it, so did
Keynes; as well as most involved in the Frankfurt School. I often get the
impression that many social scientists today are unwilling to look at
themselves before putting forward their theories which tends to make them
terribly skewed!