More Heat than Light: Economics as Social Physics, Physics as Nature's Economics
by Philip Mirowski
Historical Perspectives on Modern Economics (1989)
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Description
More Heat Than Light is a history of how physics has drawn some inspiration from economics and also how economics has sought to emulate physics, especially with regard to the theory of value. It traces the development of the energy concept in Western physics and its subsequent effect upon the invention and promulgation of neoclassical economics. Any discussion of the standing of economics as a science must include the historical symbiosis between the two disciplines. Starting with the show more philosopher Emile Meyerson's discussion of the relationship between notions of invariance and causality in the history of science, the book surveys the history of conservation principles in the Western discussion of motion. Recourse to the metaphors of the economy are frequent in physics, and the concepts of value, motion, and body reinforced each other throughout the development of both disciplines, especially with regard to practices of mathematical formalisation. However, in economics subsequent misuse of conservation principles led to serious blunders in the mathematical formalisation of economic theory. The book attempts to provide the reader with sufficient background in the history of physics in order to appreciate its theses. The discussion is technically detailed and complex, and familiarity with calculus is required. show lessTags
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A disappointing book -- a good subject, but one that did not live up to the promise of the first hundred pages.
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Author Information
17+ Works 700 Members
Philip Mirowski is the Koch Professor of Economics and the History of Science at the University of Notre Dame.
Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- More Heat than Light: Economics as Social Physics, Physics as Nature's Economics
Classifications
- Genres
- Economics, Nonfiction, Science & Nature, General Nonfiction, History, Philosophy, Business
- DDC/MDS
- 330 — Society, Government, and Culture Economics Jobs & Careers
- LCC
- HB74 .P49 .M57 — Social sciences Economic theory. Demography Economic theory. Demography Economics as a science. Relation to other
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 94
- Popularity
- 334,377
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- English, French
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 7
