Consistency in Pluralism and the Role of Microfoundations

Citation

Dow S (2016) Consistency in Pluralism and the Role of Microfoundations. In: Courvisanos J, Doughney J & Millmow A (eds.) Reclaiming Pluralism in Economics: Essays in honour of John E. King. Routledge Advances in Heterodox Economics, 31. London and New York: Routledge, pp. 32-46.

Abstract
John King has made challenging contributions to our thinking in many areas. This paper focuses on two of these: the case for pluralism and the case against requiring macroeconomic theory to be expressed in terms of its microfoundations. The purpose of this paper is to explore further the relationship between the two, requiring discussion of the relationship between the different levels of philosophy, methodology, theory and reality. A particular focus is put on the role of the concept of consistency in these two papers. This concept is explored further here at different levels and according to different methodological approaches. The contrast is drawn between its meaning in classical logic and in human logic.

Keywords
consistency; pluralism; microfoundations

People

Professor Sheila Dow

Emeritus Professor, Economics