A Review of Kuhnian and Lakatosian “Explanations” in Economics



analysis for macroeconomic schools of thought such as Mainstream, Post Keynesian,
Marxian and Neo-Austrian. Even more recently, G. Argyrous (1992) writes that with certain
modifications the concept of paradigm (or disciplinary matrices, Kuhn’s subsequently
substitute term) can explain to a great extent the historical development of the Neoclassical
consumption function. Dobson (1994, p. 76) argued that financial economic theory of the firm
shows a paradigm shift in a Kuhnian sense but he does not adequately analyses its specific
characteristics. A more recent application of Kuhnian approach is to be found in a study of
the philosophical foundations of transaction cost economics. Following Kuhnian
methodology, Miller (1993) believes that this field serves a puzzle-solving role for
neoclassical economics and thus it can not be considered as new-institutional economics but
part of the orthodox school. The above discussion is summarized in table 1a and table 1b:

Table 1a.

Schools of Economic Thought and Kuhnian Paradigms

Classical

Neoclassical

Radical/ Post-Keynesian

Gordon, 1965

Coats, 1969

Eichner and Kregel, 1975

Dow, 1985

Dow, 1985

Gordon, 1965

Sweezy, 1971

Miller, 1993

Zweig, 1971

Ward, 1972

Table 1b

Economic Theories as Kuhnian Paradigms

General Equilibrium

Theory of the Firm

Consumption Function

Coats, 1969

Loasby, 1971

Argyrous, 1992

Dow, 1981

Dobson,1994

7



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