Description:
The Nature and Method of Economic Sciences: Evidence, Causality, and Ends argues that economic phenomena can be examined from five analytical levels: namely, a statistical descriptive approach, a causal explanatory approach, a teleological explicative approach, a normative approach and, finally, the level of application.
Review Quotes:
"The Nature and Method of Economic Sciences is an interesting and original introduction to various debates in the philosophy of economics written by a very knowledgeable scholar. As a good Aristotelian philosopher, Crespo surveys a wide range of viewpoints and often concludes in favour of a reasonable middle ground...[T]he clear and discursive style is a refreshing alternative to the unequivocal presentation typical of textbooks." - Maxime Desmarais-Tremblay, European Journal of the History of Economic Thought
"The Nature and Method of Economic Sciences is a timely, intriguing and original book. It comes out at an appropriate time, characterized by a deep cultural crisis that is not merely economic, but also political and ethical...[It] challenges the economist to reconsider the robustness of the categories of thought stemming from the received view. Finally, Crespo is to be credited for his methodological approach that allowed him to manufacture a narrative that usefully blends economics and philosophy, history of thought and sociology, anthropology and politics." - Stefano Zamagni, Annals of the Fondazione Luigi Einaudi
"Every student and researcher in the field of social sciences and especially in economics, should feel the disturbing mobilization of ideas that this book provokes. The clear style and the consistency of its proposals, with a support of classic, modern and contemporary references, help us to understand the foundations and contributions for a necessary debate on the economy science, oriented to human development in a contemporary society." - Francisco Lavolpe, Applied Research in Quality of Life
"It is an excellent read that succeeds in bridging together in-depth discussions of both history of economic thought (including history of economic methodology) and contemporary philosophy of science. In my opinion, this alone suffices to recommend the book." -- Mariusz Maziarz, Oeconomia