Pragmatism in Economic Methodology: The Duhem-Quine Thesis Revisited

Contemporary developments in economicmethodology have produced a vibrant agenda ofcompeting positions. These include, amongothers, constructivism, critical realism andrhetoric, with each contributing to the Realistvs. Pragmatism debate in the philosophies of thesocial sciences. A major development in theneo-pragmatist contribution to economicmethodology has been Quine's pragmatic assaulton the dogmas of empiricism, which are nowclearly acknowledged within contemporaryeconomic methodology. This assault isencapsulated in the celebrated Duhem-Quinethesis, which according to a number ofcontemporary leading philosophers of economics,poses a particularly serious methodologicalproblem for economics. This problem, asreflected in Hausman's analysis, consists ofthe inability of economics to learn fromexperience, thereby subverting the capacity totest economic theories. In this paper wedispute this position. Our argument is basedon a combination of Quine's holism with VanFraassen's constructive empiricism, especiallythe latter's analysis of empirical adequacy andhis pragmatic approach to explanation. Theresulting reorientation of economic methodologyrestores the capacity of economics to learnfrom experience and reinstates the imperativeof developing alternatives to orthodoxtheorizing in economics.     

论奥德姆的生态哲学思想

奥德姆生态哲学思想有三个基本方面,贯穿其中的是能量概念。一是从物质范式到能量范式的转化。二是以能量概念为前提,主张整体论的研究,同时有限承认还原论的地位。三是以能量范式和整体论为前提,主张人与自然相贯通的审视视野,并由此展开其应用生态学的思想。     

整体观与科学——中国传统思维整体观的现实意义

科学的发展使得机械论的整体观完全落伍,新的整体观正在兴起,从可分离分割的、整体是部分的结果的机械整体观转变为不可分离的、部分依赖整体才能存在的新整体观。这种整体观正是东方思维下的整体观。中国传统思维上的"天人合一"的整体观在科学中逐渐呈现出它的现实意义。     

Pragmatic Holism (or pragmatic reductionism)

The reductionist/holist debate is highly polarised. I propose an intermediate position of pragmatic holism. It derives from two claims: firstly, that irrespective of whether all natural systems are theoretically reducible, for many systems it is utterly impractical to attempt such a reduction, and secondly, that regardless of whether irreducible 'wholes exist, it is vain to try and prove this. This position illuminates the debate along new pragmatic lines by refocussing attention on the underlying heuristics of learning about the natural world.     

The Future of Systems Thinking

Due to the diminishing popularity of systems thinking, an attempt is done to predict its future in the university world. Two starting points are used: one in the traditional scientific community, being its habitat; and the other in the surrounding society, being its area of application. The investigation shows that systems thinking is highly needed, although its nearest future seems bleak. The systemic challenge to the traditional academic world has unfortunately been taken as a threat against its existence. The scientific and educational impact of systems thinking is therefore opposed as an alternative to the old scientific paradigm. Furthermore, the resistance to new theories moving across disciplinary boundaries seems stronger than resistance to theories within the disciplines.     

Confirmational holism and its mathematical (w)holes

I critically examine confirmational holism as it pertains to the indispensability arguments for mathematical Platonism. I employ a distinction between pure and applied mathematics that grows out of the often overlooked symbiotic relationship between mathematics and science. I argue that this distinction undercuts the notion that (pure) mathematical theories fall under the holistic scope of the confirmation of our scientific theories.     

理论对于经验的主导作用与整体主义

依时间顺序，在认识活动中理论对经验有三种作用，即理论对经验的先行激发作用、理论对经验的共时建构作用以及理论对经验的事后解释作用。除此之外，理论还可通过理想实验来构造“虚拟经验”。在认识的任何一个环节中，只要有经验出现的地方，理论都发挥着重要的作用。经验主义应该为整体主义所取代。     

用还原论与整体论相结合的方法探索复杂性

科学研究方法论从古至今经历了一个超越还原论、发展整体论、实现还原论与整体论辩证统一的演化过程。实现还原论与整体论的辩证统一是有坚实的哲学依据与客观基础的；实现还原论与整体论的辩证统一，体现在认识过程中，就是从具体到抽象、再从抽象到具体的分析与综合交织互动的辩证思维途径。     

In Search of Resonance

In this paper I explore the possibility of a complementary relationship between action research and the management and systems sciences. A range of purposes that action researchers and management and systems scientists pursue is initially set out. The paper then explores whether this diversity of purposes and the ways they recommend people to proceed may come together in a new whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. A potentially useful realization of this for practice is a reflexive process of critique, choice, and action, which is elaborated on. The paper then investigates what view of holism arises from the preceeding discussions.     

论中医理论中的系统整体性思想

中医理论中蕴含着丰富的系统整体性思想。它不同于西方分析还原论的研究方法,坚持用整体论去分析研究人体疾病：不仅强调人体各个组成部分之间和人体与自然环境之间的系统整体性,而且对疾病进行综合考察,辨证施治,立方用药,进行全身心调节,力求达到整体最佳的目标。中医是系统整体性科学。