Beyond behaviorism, positivism, and neo-institutionalism in economics: a conversation with Deirdre Nansen McCloskey

Abstract Silvestri interviews McCloskey about her forthcoming book, ‘Beyond Behaviorism, Positivism, and Neo-Institutionalism in Economics’, critical of recent economics, especially neo-institutionalism. Neo-institutionalism uses the ugly character ‘Herr Max U’ as its central idea: elevation Prudence to only virtue. Institutions are mainly intermediate, not ultimate, causes society. Ethics, rhetoric, identity, ideology, ideas matter. McCloskey's turn defending liberalism is background critique behaviorism, positivism, neo-institutionalism anti-liberal, reducing analysis people a model childish slaves. Liberalism theory non-slave adults. Of big past few centuries, treats with suitable dignity, permits them have go, make others rich. shares two sins modern Samuelsonian economics: devotion mere existence proofs; deviation arbitrary tests statistical ‘significance’. And tale rise ‘capitalism’, it errors amateur economic history. The better word for world Great Enrichment – fully 3,000% increases real income per person ‘innovism’. Neo-institutionalism, method historical must be replaced by ‘Humanomics’.