Natural Images in Economic Thought: Markets Read in Tooth and Claw.

• Author: Neuberg, Leland G.

The book collects twenty papers from a conference on "Natural Images in Economics" held at the University of Notre Dame in September 1991. Mirowski opens part one with a typology of ways to understand the relation of "the Natural" and "the Social," and classifies some of the papers within it. Klamer and Leonard then explicate the concept of "metaphor" that subsequent papers employ.

Part two studies mathematical formalism and physics metaphors. Cohen argues that, before nineteenth century energy physics, attempts to construct economics with the Newtonian mechanics paradigm failed. Grattan-Guinness wonders why linear and nonlinear programming and locational equilibrium formulations in 1820s French mechanics took 120 years to emerge as full blown research areas. Bausor asks why recent use of mathematical methods of qualitative dynamics succeeded in fluid mechanics but failed in economics. Porter interprets the evolution of nineteenth century economics as a triumph of an ideal of formal mathematical rigor over one of practical engineering quantification.

Alborn opens part three by exploring problematic mechanical and biological images of circulation in the Victorian money market, and relates them to difficulties in that period's economic history. White examines how Jevons incorporated questionable notions, from a mechanics-influenced physiological psychology, into his economics. Kingsland argues that Lotka's mathematical models in biology had little impact there, but influenced Simon's construction of an influential economic theory.

Part four considers biological metaphors. Christensen studies natural science metaphors in Quesnay's economics. Hutter traces an organism metaphor for society through German economic thinkers. Schabas doubts that Darwin influenced Marshall, Mill, and later economists much, but Limoges and Menard think that his reading of Darwin helped Marshall shape his notion of the division of labor. Niman claims that biological analogies could transform the theory of the firm in a positive way, while Rosenberg argues that Darwin's biology can't help economics much. Hodgson maintains that, though he sought to draw on evolutionary biology, Hayek's thought is difficult to reconcile with Darwin's theory.

Part five focuses on how economists construct "the Natural" historically. Mirowski looks at examples of reconstruction of "the Natural" at moments of crisis. Henderson sketches how economics gained a place in the hierarchy of the...