Economic Analysis of Knowledge: The History of Thought and the Central Themes

Following the development of knowledge economies, there has been a rapid expansion of economic analysis of knowledge, both in the context of technological knowledge in particular and the decision theory in general. This paper surveys this literature by identifying the main themes and contributions and outlines the future prospects of the discipline. The wide scope of knowledge related questions in terms of applicability and alternative approaches has led to the fragmentation of research. Nevertheless, one can identify a continuing tradition which analyses various aspects of the generation, dissemination and use of knowledge in the economy

A análise situacional de Karl Popper: alguma analogia com a lógica da situação na economia? Karl Popper's social analysis: some analogy with the logic of situation in economics?

A contribuição metodológica de Popper se estende para a aplicação do seu método crítico nas práticas científicas e sociais, ou seja, vai além do falsificacionismo e do diálogo socrático como mostrado nas diferentes interpretações dos metodólogos da economia. Com o objetivo de descrever a prática científica e social de Popper, como resultado de sua ênfase na busca e no crescimento do conhecimento, e investigar se existe alguma analogia entre ela e a lógica da situação na economia, este artigo apresenta: i) a prática científico-social popperiana na forma da análise situacional (seção 1), ii) as discussões de alguns críticos e comentadores que identificam problemas na proposta de Popper (seção 2), iii) argumentos sobre a análise situacional de Popper e a lógica da situação na economia (seção 3) e iv) as considerações finais.<br>Popper's methodological contribution could be extended in order to include the use of his critical method in social and scientific practices, that is, it is not related only to falsificationism and socratic dialogue as it has been presented by different economic methodologists. With the aim of describing Popper's social and scientific practice, as a result of his emphasis on search and growth of knowledge, and investigating whether exists some analogy between this practice and the logic of situation in Economics, this paper presents: i) Popper's social-scientific practice represented by his situational analysis (section 1), ii) discussions of some researchers who identify problems in Popper's proposal (section 2), iii) arguments about Popper's situational analysis and the situational logic of Economics (section 3) and iv) final comments