This volume, explores the nature of economics as a science, including classic texts and newer essays.This is a comprehensive anthology of works concerning the nature of economics as a science, including classic texts and essays exploring specific branches and schools of economics. Apart from the classics, most of the selections in the third edition are new, as are the introduction and bibliography.This is a comprehensive anthology of works concerning the nature of economics as a science, including classic texts and essays exploring specific branches and schools of economics. Apart from the classics, most of the selections in the third edition are new, as are the introduction and bibliography.This is a comprehensive anthology of works concerning the nature of economics as a science, including classic texts and essays exploring specific branches and schools of economics. Apart from the classics, most of the selections in the third edition are new, as are the introduction and bibliography. No other anthology spans the whole field and offers a comprehensive introduction to questions about economic methodology.Part I. Classic Discussions: 1. On the definition and method of political economy John Stuart Mill; 2. Objectivity and understanding in economics Max Weber; 3. The nature and significance of economic science Lionel Robbins; 4. Economics and human action Frank Knight; 5. Philosophical foundations of economics: three texts Karl Marx; 6. The limitations of marginal utility Thorstein Veblen; Part II. Positivist and Popperian Views: 7. The methodology of positive economics Milton Friedman; 8. Testability and approximation Herbert Simon; 9. Why look under the hood? Daniel M. Hausman; 10. Popper and Lakatos in economic methodology D. Wade Hands; Part III. Ideology and Normative Economics: 11. Science and ideology Joseph Schumpeter; 12. Welfare propositions of economics and interpersonal comparisons of utility Nicholas Kaldor; 13. The philosophical foundations of mainstreals(