Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Original/inverse
    See Original
    Inverse View

    It is not the case that Milton Friedman and like-minded economists argue for predictive goals in economics for policy reasons, not to resolve epistemological puzzles about unobservables.

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    2 perspectives
    Reason for 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Friedman's instrumentalism in 'The Methodology of Positive Economics' directly mirrors Mach's positivist rejection of unobservable theoretical entities.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.A methodology that systematically excludes unobservables as criteria of theory assessment is ipso facto taking a position on epistemological puzzles about unobservables.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.The policy motivation for predictivism does not preclude simultaneous epistemological commitments — motives and logical entailments are distinct.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason for 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Musgrave (1981) demonstrated that Friedman's 'as-if' reasoning smuggles in a surrogate realism, revealing latent ontological commitments beneath the policy framing.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If a framework's justification implicitly relies on claims about what theoretical posits can legitimately do, it is engaged in epistemology whether or not that was the stated intent.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Those who argue the ultimate goals of economics are predictive do so because of their interest in policy.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Their interest in prediction is not motivated by a desire to avoid or resolve epistemological and semantic puzzles concerning references to unobservables.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.