[was: RE: [PEN-L:26169] Re: Re: RE: RE: Lies, damned lies, and economics] Michael Perelman:> I might have added Phil Mirowski as an excellent writer, although he does not usually write for an popular audience.<
Among good leftist economics writers, we should mention such authors as those currently at, or once at, Dollars & Sense (e.g., Frank Ackerman); those associated with the Center for Public Economics and United for a Fair Economy; and pen-pal Doug Henwood. The last is a dynamite writer! Ian:>What does it mean to say that economists deliberately *lie* in a world where the relation of theories and evidences is one/many of underdetermination?< What do you think abstraction is? it involves deliberating leaving out certain details (i.e., to _lie_) in order to develop a coherent and understandable picture of the empirical world. Abstraction is clearly part of normal thinking, not just economic thinking. It's hard to think without abstraction. For example, "underdetermination" is an abstraction. Further, one problem with folks on the autistic spectrum is that they get overwhelmed by the details, since they have a hard time abstracting. The key is to be conscious of when one lies (i.e., abstracts). That is, we need to avoid the _reification_ of theory, as when the run-of-the-mill NC economist treats the "perfect market" as either an empirical fact or as an ideal toward which the world should strive. One key to both good economics writing and to avoiding being wrapped up in the love affair with abstraction is to always have specific concrete (real-world) examples that represent exemplars of one's abstractions. Further, we shouldn't _avoid_ abstraction as much as try to decide which abstractions are best. JD
