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The problem with social science isn't empiricism per say but the huge problem of measuring important theoretical concepts.

Take inflaation's most convenient measure -- the US Consumer Price Index. How many economists agree this is a good measure? What does it include? What does it leave out? Non-experimental physical sciences can advance at a faster rate because it is clear the things they measure are fairly easily measured constants.

I have yet to touch or measure 'utility'.

No raindrop believes itself responsible for the flood that follows.

by Benito (haplo1998 at yahoo) on Thu Jun 22nd, 2006 at 01:24:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Well, it all starts with these 'on aggregate' measures like inflation.

I think there's a question that economists are taught not to ask, which is 'In whose experience?'

Inflation is supposedly an objective measure of - something. But it will be experienced differently on Wall St, by the middle classes, and by a poor person in New Orleans.

Which of these different experiences is considered the most relevant and important 'on aggregate, and why?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Jun 23rd, 2006 at 09:45:30 AM EST
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Agreed. If value is subjective, which it obviously is, then most standard economic measures have a huge amount of error in them. An economist would argue that the price system effectively aggregates supply and demand in order to convey value. This is in itself a fantasy as market prices even in those conditions most approximating Walrasin assumptions still come no where near meeting them. Then add the fact that 'vaule' out of necessity changes depending upon who is doing the evaluation....well, you get the picture.  

No raindrop believes itself responsible for the flood that follows.
by Benito (haplo1998 at yahoo) on Fri Jun 23rd, 2006 at 10:40:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I have thought of writing a diary linking the themes of this one (specifically, the implicit bargaining in Kaldor-Hicks) with the pie-cutting problem.

guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Jun 24th, 2006 at 03:51:29 AM EST
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Not to speak of the difference between "consumer price index", "producer price index" and "import/export price indices" (US Bureau of Labour Statistics).

guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Jun 23rd, 2006 at 09:52:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Note that economists insist in NOT releasing the price data that is used to make those price indexes. All are funded with taxpayer money, but the only thing the taxpayer get is meaningless agregates.

Some personal rants at Bernard Salanie's blog

by Laurent GUERBY on Sun Jul 2nd, 2006 at 10:54:33 AM EST
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