Concept formation and indeterminacy in the LSP of Economics
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Birthe Toft
Abstract
This article explores a central concept of classical economics (equilibrium) from an experiential cognitive science point of view, assuming that model-building in science is an analogy-like manifestation of metaphoric thought. In order to account for the metaphorical basis of the concept, it studies the argumentation of various economists, including the authors of an economics textbook for first year students, and comes to the conclusion that there is an obvious reason why this and many other concepts of classical economics are based on Newtonian physics analogies, viz. that such analogies originate in our primary bodily experience. The article winds up with a discussion of indeterminacy in the languages of classical and modern economics.
Abstract
This article explores a central concept of classical economics (equilibrium) from an experiential cognitive science point of view, assuming that model-building in science is an analogy-like manifestation of metaphoric thought. In order to account for the metaphorical basis of the concept, it studies the argumentation of various economists, including the authors of an economics textbook for first year students, and comes to the conclusion that there is an obvious reason why this and many other concepts of classical economics are based on Newtonian physics analogies, viz. that such analogies originate in our primary bodily experience. The article winds up with a discussion of indeterminacy in the languages of classical and modern economics.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword xi
- Introduction – LSP studies xiii
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Indeterminacy
- Indeterminacy, context, economy and well-formedness in specialist communication 3
- Lexical chains in technical translation 15
- Eliminating indeterminacy 37
- Indeterminacy of terms and icons in software localization 49
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Indeterminacy
- Epistemological aspects of indeterminacy in postmodernist science 61
- No fixed boundaries 73
- Commensurability of scientific theories and indeterminacy of terminological concepts 93
- Concept formation and indeterminacy in the LSP of Economics 107
- Vague legal concepts 119
- Präzision versus Vagheit 135
-
Indeterminacy
- Coping with indeterminacy 157
- Ontologies and indeterminacy 181
- Terminological modelling of processes 199
-
Heribert Picht
- Heribert Picht 217
- Contributors 231
- Index 235
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword xi
- Introduction – LSP studies xiii
-
Indeterminacy
- Indeterminacy, context, economy and well-formedness in specialist communication 3
- Lexical chains in technical translation 15
- Eliminating indeterminacy 37
- Indeterminacy of terms and icons in software localization 49
-
Indeterminacy
- Epistemological aspects of indeterminacy in postmodernist science 61
- No fixed boundaries 73
- Commensurability of scientific theories and indeterminacy of terminological concepts 93
- Concept formation and indeterminacy in the LSP of Economics 107
- Vague legal concepts 119
- Präzision versus Vagheit 135
-
Indeterminacy
- Coping with indeterminacy 157
- Ontologies and indeterminacy 181
- Terminological modelling of processes 199
-
Heribert Picht
- Heribert Picht 217
- Contributors 231
- Index 235
