This is a wonderful book to read that analyzes an idiosyncratic and polymath economist that hardly left his audiences or his readers indifferent. Those who knew Mark Blaug will recognize the man, the intellectual, the economist, and the historian of ideas in the chapters included in the volume. Those that never had the privilege to meet him will have the opportunity to understand why he became such a significant figure in economics over much of the second half of the twentieth century.' - Pedro Teixeira, University of Porto, Portugal'Mark Blaug was a nonpareil - a fine economist, an extraordinary scholar, an indefatigable editor, a generous colleague, a fierce debater. His passing was a sad loss for economics and for the history of economics. This volume, a kind of Mark Blaug in Retrospect, is a fitting memorial that, at once, captures his many parts and the wide range and depth of his thought.' - Kevin D. Hoover, Duke University, US and Editor of the History of Political Economy 'Mark Blaug was a short man with a great soul: he was a thinking person's economist with an uncanny ability to capture the big picture(s) in a few precise words. His zest for living expressed itself, in part, in his love of argument and the lifelong intellectual (and sometimes personal) mentoring of his interlocutors. The chapters in this volume, written by many of his former students and intellectual peers, lovingly and critically recall the man s life and his ideas. Jointly they introduce his wide-ranging views and interests to new generations of readers. They have the capacity to startle those of us who think we know.' - Eric Schliesser, Ghent University, Belgium 'Mark Blaug had an exceptional knowledge of the history of economics and a critical interest in the assumptions and judgements (often implicit) that underlie the work of economists past and present. The contributors to this volume illustrate the influence of Mark and his ideas, demonstrating their continuing relevance to all who recognise the powerful influence on the substantive content of economics of the methods by which it is developed and appraised.' - Brian Loasby, Stirling University, UK This book celebrates the immense contributions of Mark Blaug to every aspect of economics, a discipline in which his influence and relevance still resonate today, particularly in the field of the economics of education. This collection of eminent contributions discusses the ideas and works of Mark Blaug, who has made important and often pioneering contributions to economic history, economic methodology, the economics of education, development economics, cultural economics, economic theory and the history of economic thought. Besides these assessments of Blaug's influence and impact in these fields, this volume also contains a selection of personal portraits which depict him as a colleague, a friend and an opponent. Blaug was also a voracious reader and prolific writer, which is clearly evidenced by the comprehensive bibliography. A thought-provoking and stimulating collection of essays and dedications to Mark Blaug, this book will appeal to anyone interested in the history, culture and philosophy of economics. Contributors: R.E. Backhouse, M. Boumans, B. Caldwell, J.B. Davis, E. Dekker, V. Ginsburgh, C. Handke, D.W. Hands, G.M. Hodgson, M. Klaes, D. Laidler, R.G. Lipsey, H. Maas, J. Maloney, T. Mayer, A. Peacock, A. Salanti, R. Towse, J. Vromen

Assessment of error and uncertainty is a vital component of both natural and social science. This edited volume presents case studies of research practices across a wide spectrum of scientific fields. It compares methodologies and presents the ingredients needed for an overarching framework applicable to all.

Assessment of error and uncertainty is a vital component of both natural and social science. This edited volume presents case studies of research practices across a wide spectrum of scientific fields. It compares methodologies and presents the ingredients needed for an overarching framework applicable to all.

Economics is dominated by model building, therefore a comprehension of how such models work is vital to understanding the discipline. This book provides a critical analysis of the economist's favourite tool, and as such will be an enlightening read for some, and an intriguing one for others.

Economics is dominated by model building, therefore a comprehension of how such models work is vital to understanding the discipline. This book provides a critical analysis of the economist's favourite tool, and as such will be an enlightening read for some, and an intriguing one for others.

Measurement in Economics: a Handbook aims to serve as a source, reference, and teaching supplement for quantitative empirical economics, inside and outside the laboratory. Covering an extensive range of fields in economics: econometrics, actuarial science, experimental economics, index theory, national accounts, and economic forecasting, it is the first book that takes measurement in economics as its central focus. It shows how different and sometimes distinct fields share the same kind of measurement problems and so how the treatment of these problems in one field can function as a guidance in other fields. This volume provides comprehensive and up-to-date surveys of recent developments in economic measurement, written at a level intended for professional use by economists, econometricians, statisticians and social scientists.
*Integrative approach of measurement in economics
*Multi-disciplinary chapters
*Research practice orientation
*Up-to-date survey of measurement literature in economics and econometrics

Contributors to this special supplement explore the history of statistical inference, led by two motivations. One was the belief that John Maynard Keynes's distinction between the descriptive and the inductive function of statistical research provided a fruitful framework for understanding empirical research practices. The other was an aim to fill a gap in the history of economics by exploring an important part of the story left out of existing histories of empirical analysis in economics-namely "sinful" research practices that did not meet or point towards currently reigning standards of scientific research.

Economic Methodology explores the status and character of economics as a social science and introduces students to philosophical issues underlying modern science. Approaching the subject as philosophy of science for economists, the authors use the historical developments in philosophy of science to frame this introduction to the field of economic methodology. By doing this they strengthen students' understanding of economics as a science to enhance their reasoning skills, introducing them to the wider philosophical issues surrounding our understanding of the area.

The conduct of most of social science occurs outside the laboratory. Such studies in field science explore phenomena that cannot for practical, technical, or ethical reasons be explored under controlled conditions. These phenomena cannot be fully isolated from their environment or investigated by manipulation or intervention. Yet measurement, including rigorous or clinical measurement, does provide analysts with a sound basis for discerning what occurs under field conditions, and why. Science Outside the Laboratory explores the state of measurement theory, its reliability, and the role expert judgment plays in field investigations from the perspective of the philosophy of science. Its discussion of the problems of passive observation, the calculus of observation, the two-model problem, and model-based consensus uses illustrations drawn primarily from economics. The treatment clarifies the extent to which measurement provides valid information about objects and events in field sciences, but also has implications for measurement in the laboratory.