Forms of Life and 'Horses for Courses': Introductory Remarks

Abstract

The object of the paper is to discuss Geoff Harcourt's 'Horses for Courses Approach' (HCA) to economics in conjunction with Wittgenstein's concept of `Forms of Life'. It addresses the problems of coherence and arbitrariness in post-Keynesian thought, suggesting the HCA as an explanation for coherence among diversity of practices and activities. The coherence is found not at the level of substantive or methodological elements but at a philosophical level. A Wittgensteinean reading of the HCA suggests the argument that theories are different not because they are incoherent but because theories express elements comprised of different activities and contexts.