Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the jetpack domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /mnt/stor08-wc1-ord1/694335/916773/www.tvhe.co.nz/web/content/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the updraftplus domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /mnt/stor08-wc1-ord1/694335/916773/www.tvhe.co.nz/web/content/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the avia_framework domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /mnt/stor08-wc1-ord1/694335/916773/www.tvhe.co.nz/web/content/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /mnt/stor08-wc1-ord1/694335/916773/www.tvhe.co.nz/web/content/wp-includes/functions.php:6131) in /mnt/stor08-wc1-ord1/694335/916773/www.tvhe.co.nz/web/content/wp-includes/feed-rss2-comments.php on line 8
Comments on: What is “economics” in the most general sense http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/ The Visible Hand in Economics Wed, 15 Apr 2009 03:04:06 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18983 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 03:04:06 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18983 Paul Walker mentions a lot of good definitions of economics here:

http://antidismal.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-is-economics-in-most-general-sense.html

While they are definitions I agree with – they aren’t “general” enough for me. In so far as they miss out the schools of thought that don’t believe in reductionism but are still under the umbrella of “general economics”.

]]>
By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18607 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:16:19 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18607 @anonymous

Most definitely – its like you read my mind ๐Ÿ™‚

]]>
By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18606 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:15:54 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18606 @Alex

Love that video – beautiful ๐Ÿ™‚

]]>
By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18605 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:15:38 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18605 @john

I have no doubt that this matters at the macro level – however, it is best not to overwhelm ourselves with it. Ultimately, there is some hope that we can move from premises about individual behaviour to the outcomes for a society – however, it isn’t exactly clear what happens when we “aggregate” things together. This is actually a major problem for macro.

]]>
By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18604 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:13:40 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18604 @Dr.Jeffrey M Doyle

Hi Jeffrey,

I would say that neo-classical economics is inherently the study of individual choice – and there is a subset of that (economic science) which is what Robbins defines. In theory economic science and neo-classical economics should be equal – but I think that when we look at how economics IS DONE this isn’t necessarily the case ๐Ÿ˜‰

]]>
By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18603 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:11:05 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18603 @Brad Taylor

Hi Brad,

“I donโ€™t like the active voice when talking about societies. I think the reification of society is a major problem in how many people think about economics”

That is a very good point – the active tone is a rhetorical device that cropped up during the socialist calculation debate.

However, I would also note that, in my view, the definition you provide is a bit narrow for “economics” – as not all economics is based on reductionism or the study of the individual. Now, I think it should be – but as a starting point it is not necessarily the case.

“I think people are often confused by the idea of scarcity”

Which is why it is the issue we have to always come back to when explaining issues. I think even some economists forget about scarcity occasionally …

]]>
By: Matt Nolan http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18602 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:06:52 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18602 @HH

Hi HH,

My view is that a budget constraint is really just an illustration of scarcity – when it comes to working out what an individual will do it is essential, but when making broad definitions mentioning scarcity alone should be sufficient IMO

]]>
By: anonymous http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18548 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:24:18 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18548 In the most general sense, it’s everything, of course.

]]>
By: Alex http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18541 Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:37:08 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18541 Your definition is scarily similar to this…

]]>
By: john http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/03/28/what-is-economics-in-the-most-general-sense/#comment-18533 Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:52:14 +0000 http://www.tvhe.co.nz/?p=3402#comment-18533 I realise this is o/t but I’m curious if you think “system complexity” is an issue in the global economy?

“The global economy is a system, a complex interconnected, real time set of processes and relationships that thrives when it is growing. The problem is this: we are now operating that system right up against, I would argue beyond, the limits of its capacity to function. these two broad limits are set by two broad challenges: ecological limits and system complexity’

that was from the press re Earth Hour series. http://www.paulgilding.com

]]>