Keynes on Organicism: Comment

Authors

John B. Davis, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

8 p.

Publication Date

Winter 1989

Publisher

Routledge (M.E. Sharpe)

Source Publication

Journal of Post Keynesian Economics

Source ISSN

0160-3477

Abstract

Roy Rotheim has recently argued in this journal (1988) that J.M. Keynes' concern with uncertainty in The General Theory stems from his abandonment of an atomist methodology for an organicist one, and that this fundamentally distinguishes his thinking from the atomist methodological perspective of neoclassical economics. While Rotheim's discussion demonstrates considerable insight into the philosophical aspects of Keynes' thinking, there is nonetheless some reason to doubt that Keynes did change his thinking about atomism and organicism. The discussion here questions whether this reversal occurred; first, a number of the texts in which Keynes concerns himself with atomist and organicism are reexamined, and second, the requirements of an organicist methodology are analyzed.

Comments

Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Vol. 12 (Winter 1989): 308-315. Publisher Link.

Recommended Citation

Davis, John B., "Keynes on Organicism: Comment" (1989). Economics Faculty Research and Publications. 257.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/econ_fac/257