Conceptual Anomalies in Economics and Statistics: Lessons from the Social Experiment

by Leland Gerson Neuberg

Overview

This book explores anomalies in the conceptual basis of social control experiments and in the foundation of statistics and economics. Drawing upon several examples, the author argues that together such anomalies prevent microeconomics and statistics from providing a coherent understanding of human social behavior on par with the physical sciences. He concludes that social control experiments are a frequently overrated tool for social policy improvements.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521070218
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/31/2008
Pages:	380
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Introduction; Part I. Statistical Logics: 1. J. S. Mill and some philosophical underpinnings of controlled experimentation; 2. R. A. Fisher, randomization, and controlled experimentation; 3. Some special difficulties of controlled social experiments; 4. Hume's problem of induction in modern statistical inference and controlled experimentation; Part II. Economic Logics: 5. Problems with a rationalist account of classical mechanics; 6. Microeconomics striving to be a classical-mechanics-like science; 7. The income maintenance experiments: microeconomic science or scientism?; 8. Microeconomics striving to be deontology; Conclusion; Appendix; References; Symbols and abbreviations; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"A critical introduction to the field recommended to strong souls capable of combining expertise with modesty." B. Hamminga, Erkenntnis

"This is a quite extraordinary book...a 'tour de force'." A. Lewis, Journal of Economic Psychology

"The book as a whole makes one think. I would like to think it be made compulsory reading for all economists." J.D. Hey, Economic Journal

From the Publisher