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18 sats \ 3 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 13 Nov \ parent \ on: Wanted: Critics of Austrian Economics econ
Austrians object to using mathematical tools on several points. One being that mathematics aggregates things that should not really be aggregated. Another being that mathematics and charts do not represent what actual humans use for making decisions. A third is that mathematical results do not always reflect reality very closely. What the Austrians call praxeology and callitics differ on many of those points from the mainstream, which, by-and-large is still based somewhat on Kenysianism.
Mathematics does not aggregate. Some mathematical methods aggregate.
The other points are all about omitting key elements from their analysis, which can just as easily be done with verbal logic.
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That was the point, the methods aggregate where aggregation erases the differences that are important.
Yes, verbal logic makes some of the same mistakes but are more readily found.
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The important point, though, is that there are appropriate mathematical approaches that don't make any more errors than verbal logic. Sometimes it's easier to catch a mathematical error, because there are such well-defined rules about what can be done with the notation.
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