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SUMMARY:Mathematical Modelling and Ideology in the Economics Academy: comp
 eting explanations of the failings of the modern discipline? - Tony Lawson
  (Cambridge University)
DTSTART:20120227T200000Z
DTEND:20120227T220000Z
UID:TALK36447@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Cambridge Social Ontology Group
DESCRIPTION:The widespread and long-lived failings of academic economics a
 re due to an overreliance on largely inappropriate formalistic methods of 
 analysis. This is an assessment  I have long maintained. Many heterodox ec
 onomists\, however\, appear to hold instead that the central problem is a 
 form of political-economic ideology. Specifically\, it is widely contended
  in heterodox circles that the discipline goes astray just because many ec
 onomists are committed to a portrayal of the market economy as a smoothly 
 or efficiently functioning system or some such\, a portrayal that\, whethe
 r sincerely held or otherwise\, is inconsistent with the workings of socia
 l reality. Here I critically examine the contention that a form of politic
 al-economic ideology of this sort is the primary problem and assess its ex
 planatory power. I conclude that the contention does not fare very well. I
  do not\, though\, deny that ideology of some sort has a major impact on t
 he output of the modern economics academy. However it is of a different na
 ture to any form typically attributed to the mainstream\, and works in som
 ewhat indirect and complex ways. Having raised the question of the impact 
 of ideology I take the opportunity to explore its play in the economics ac
 ademy more generally
LOCATION:Clare College\, Trinity Lane Cambridge\, CB2 1TL\, in the Latimer
  Room\, in the Old Court
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