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Difficulty of the topicConsiderations on the Fundamental principles of Pure Political Economy, I (Giornale degli Economisti, May 1892) Introductory remarks In keeping with the general propensity of natural sciences to progress towards a higher degree of perfection, Political Economy has for some years now been showing a tendency to replace the qualitative method used in its beginnings with the quantitative one. In fact, one could not say that economists have until now neglected the quantitative principle, in the same way ancient physics never totally did; but its use by economists was always limited, whereas now it is increasing and becoming prevalent in the study of economics. If we consider what has happened to the other sciences, we shall easily come to the conclusion that Political Economy would not extract a lesser benefit from the use of the quantitative method than the one they attained. However, if we do not wish to forgo all necessary prudence, we must at the same time add that one should not deem any method as good or any theorem derived from it as true only because it carries the ‘quantitative’ label. In our view, all arguments regarding the method that should be adopted in a particular science are somewhat useless. Only from experience can one find out the benefit that can be attained from using a given method. Employ whatever reasoning method you prefer, seek the support of history, physics, mathematics, accept or reject the evolutionary theories, and, if ancient logic does not satisfy you, apply the new mathematical logic; all is allowed, all is fair, provided you can discover new truths, or shed new light on old ones, and rectify errors; in short, if you can increase the quantity or the quality of human knowledge. Here the public lies in wait, and your work will be judged according to the new ideas it divulges. If it is to be found later, that it is possible to arrive at the goal that you have reached through an easier path, such a path will replace the method you used, but without taking anything away from the praise you deserve for having increased our scientific wealth. Celestial mechanics treatises no longer make use of the synthetic form of Newton’s demonstrations,I but this has not detracted from the reverence and admiration that every mathematical scientist feels for that man, whose genius was certainly equal, if not greater than any of the most outstanding human beings. On the other hand, considerations on methodology are not only legitimate, but also necessary, when they arise as a consequence of the quest to find whether a proposition is true or not. If a theorem seems right to some scientists but is not, it is not a waste of time to search for the reasons for their mistake, in order to avoid it in the future.1 It is still necessary diligently to examine the premises of any new proposition, and the quantity and the quality of the rigour of the deductions that stem from it. Difficulty of the topic Anyone who wishes to learn any science, such as physics or mathematics, knows that it will imply hard work, and while they can ask the author whom they are studying to ease the burden, they cannot expect it to be completely removed, as some people seem to expect in the study of Political Economy, which is accused by ThiersIII of being ‘a kind of boring literature’ – as if in the study of any science one should pursue one’s personal enjoyment, rather than the usefulness and pleasure of acquiring the knowledge of new truths. The reader who wishes to acquire wholesome and precise concepts of the theorems of economics must shed all such prejudices. In turn, the author must make sure that the difficulties of the topic are not increased through his fault, and that the reader is not subjected to more hard work than is required by the very nature of the subject matter. Date: 2015-12-24; view: 937
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