Tony Lawson — The nature of heterodox economics

Tony Lawson on ontology in the philosophy of economics.

ABSTRACT

Heterodoxy serves as an umbrella term to cover the coming together of separate projects or traditions. In answering the question, 'what distinguishes heterodoxy from the orthodoxy?', the author argues that matters of ontology are central. In answering the question, 'how are the various traditions that make up the modern heterodoxy to be distinguished from each other?', the author defends criteria other than varying commitments to specific substantive theories, policy measures or techniques (or basic units) of analysis.

Lawson, T. (2005). "The nature of heterodox economics". Cambridge Journal of Economics 30 (4): 483–505.
(h/t/ Jason Bessey on FB)