Methodology of economic or how economists explain

o ask in what sense economics is a science. Econemics provides many exam ples of "explanations that are at once systematic and controlled by factual evi dence." Economics, however, is a peculiar science in that it provides rigorous and logically connected theories of human action while invoking the reasons and motives of human agents as the "causes of things."

What then is the nature of economic explanation? That is the main question addressed in this book. After opening chapters that introduce current thinking in the philosophy of science (and develop distinctions used throughout the book). and review the literature on methodology. Professor Blaug turns to the trouble some question of the logical status of welfare economics. By the end of that chapter the reader will have gained a reasonable understanding of the outstand sg issues in the methodology of economics. Part III provides a series of case audies of leading economic controversies, whose purpose is not to settle sub tive questions on which economists disagree among themselves, but rather show how controversies in economics may be illuminated by paying attention to questions of methodology. The final chapter draws the strands together and suggests what is wrong with modern economics.