Keynes's Philosophical Development

Examines the change and development in Keynes's philosophical thinking from his earliest unpublished Apostles papers through to The General Theory.

John B. Davis (Author)

9780521419024, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 November 1994

212 pages
23.6 x 15.7 x 1.8 cm, 0.454 kg

"Davis makes his case with care and thoroughness....Where evidence is available, such as Keynes's early unpublished Apsotles papers and/or contemporary philosophical debates, Davis treats it with respect and meticulous attention." Robert W. Dimand, History of Political Economy

In this compelling book, John B. Davis examines the change and development in Keynes's philosophical thinking, from his earliest work through to The General Theory, arguing that Keynes came to believe himself mistaken about a number of his early philosophical concepts. The author begins by looking at the unpublished 'Apostles' papers, written under the influence of the philosopher G. E. Moore. These display the tensions in Keynes's early philosophical views, and outline his philosophical concepts of the time, including the concept of intuition. Davis then shows how Keynes's later philosophy is implicit in the economic argument of The General Theory. He argues that Keynes's philosophy had by this time changed radically, and that he had abandoned the concept of intuition for the concept of convention. The author sees this as being the central idea in The General Theory, and looks at the philosophical nature of this concept of convention in detail.

Preface
Introduction: Keynes and philosophy
1. Keynes's early intuitionism
2. The dilemmas of Moore's Principia for ethics and economics
3. Keynes's self-critique
4. Keynes's later philosophy
5. The philosophical thinking of The General Theory
6. Ethics and policy
Conclusion: Keynes's philosophical development
Notes
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Economic theory & philosophy [KCA]