I Takamitsu Sawa / 1561~1626 004 2010 / No.384
005 1571 1630 17 1546 1601 16 1642 1727
006 2010 / No.384 confirm refute verify significant 1902 1994 piecemeal engineering 1958 historicism 20
007 1990 90 19 1987 88 IMF conditionality II 1970 71 75 78 institutionalization of sciences 1928 1975 1867 19 4
4 Scholastic Aptitude Test major minor ipod 1987 2006 FRB 1926 1974 008 2010 / No.384
CEA: Council of Economic Advisers 3 2001 1 Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy 5 422 2 1 3 3 009
010 2010 / No.384 1 2 1912 2006 GDP 20 1970
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012 2010 / No.384 2008 9 19 1970 30 1926 18 19 18 18 19 1809 1882 1859
013 19 20 70 1973 1973 10 12 4 80
014 2010 / No.384 1989 11 9 1991 12 25 1970 20 20 10 1936 1970 1979 1982 79 81
015 1982 902000 1970 2001 4 2006 9 1991 3 20 80 1998
Rational Fool sympathy commitment 1991 3 NGO 016 2010 / No.384
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Reconsideration of What is Economics? Takamitsu Sawa This paper aims just at providing students the idea about what is economics. The first question that must be answered is whether or not economics is a science. In order to consider this difficult problem the following two points really play an essential role. First, logical structure of economics is perfect enough to satisfy qualification of a science, i.e., possess refutability. Second, economics has been institutionalized at least in the USA, but in Japan institutionalization of economics is still imperfect. This implies that economics is permitted to acknowledge itself a science in the USA, but it lacks some of necessary conditions of institutionalization here in Japan. More fundamental question is, however, concerned with whether or not economics should be a science. Carl Popper, a scientific philosopher, pointed out in his book entitled Poverty of Historicism that modern economics including both neo-classical and Keynesian economics is well-qualified to acknowledge themselves to be a science, while Marxian economics lacks a necessary condition of a science. The reason why is that Marxian economics sticks to historicism, i.e., finding out the law of history. My opinion is that economics should not only confine itself to what is called a science by Popper but also be prepared to analyze economic phenomena in various ways including historicism, political economy, and so on so forth. Another important role of economics is to design the most desirable society in the following senses: everybody feels not only affluent but also happy; efficiency and fairness are equally paid high regards; maxi-min principle should be fully appreciated. Reconsideration of What is Economics? Takamitsu Sawa 019