PSEUDOSCIENCE AT ITS BEST (cross posted for archival purposes) From Rothbard. AX

PSEUDOSCIENCE AT ITS BEST

(cross posted for archival purposes)

From Rothbard.

AXIOM

“…praxeology contains one Fundamental Axiom–the axiom of action–which may be called a priori, and a few subsidiary postulates which are actually empirical.”

POSTULATES

(Postulate 1) A “…variety of resources, both natural and human. From this follows directly the division of labor, the market, etc.; ” (Believe it or not that is a direct quote.)

(Postulate 2) Leisure is a consumer good.

(Postulate 3) Indirect exchanges occur.

(Postulate 4) Every firm aims always at maximizing its psychic profit; and this may or may not involve maximizing its money profit, and or also stated as everyone tries always to maximize his utility.

ASSERTIONS (completely meaningless)

(a) that the fundamental axioms and premises of economics are absolutely true;

(b) that the theorems and conclusions deduced by the laws of logic from these postulates are therefore absolutely true;

(c) that there is consequently no need for empirical “testing,” either of the premises or the conclusions; and

(d) that the deduced theorems could not be tested even if it were desirable.

Both mises’ essay “Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science”, and Rothbards “Extreme Apriorism” are pseudoscientific arguments using the ‘Critique’ (obscurantism) developed over many centuries by jewish scholars. That is, to construct a hollow theory as a framework for criticism. The point is not to construct a theory that actually provides explanatory power, or is scientifically testable, but that casts doubt upon the opposing theory.