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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Pluralist EconomicsBy Edward FullbrookZed Books LtdCopyright © 2008 Edward FullbrookAll rights reserved.ISBN: 978-1-84813-043-2ContentsNotes on Contributors, vii, Introduction Edward Fullbrook, 1, Part I - What Is Pluralism?, 1 - Neoclassical Economics: Three Identifying Features Christian Arnsperger and Yanis Varoufakis, 13, 2 - Pluralism, Formalism and American Economics David Colander and Harry Landreth, 26, 3 - The Construction of Economics Kyle Siler, 44, 4 - Paradigms and Pluralism Robert F. Garnett Jr, 51, Part II - Arguments for Pluralism, 5 - Narrative Pluralism Edward Fullbrook, 83, 6 - Three Arguments for Pluralism J. E. King, 111, 7 - Economics as Ideology Peter Soderbaum, 117, 8 - Metaphor and Pluralism Geoffrey Hodgson, 128, 9 - Explanatory Pluralism Jeroen Van Bouwel, 151, Part III - Pluralist Practice in Economics, 10 - Beyond Talking the Talk Alan Freeman and Andrew Kliman, 173, 11 - In the Economics Classroom Peter Earl, 193, 12 - Some Practical Aspects Thomas Mayer, 215, 13 - Islamic Economics: A Case Study Mohamed Aslam Haneef, 228, Index, 242, CHAPTER 1Neoclassical Economics Three Identifying FeaturesCHRISTIAN ARNSPERGER AND YANIS VAROUFAKISThere is nothing more frustrating for critics of neoclassical economics than the argument that neoclassical economics is a figment of their imagination; that, simply, there is scientific economics and there is speculative hand-waving (by those who have never really grasped the finer points of mainstream economic theory). In this sense, neoclassicism resembles racism: while ever present and dominant, no one claims to be guided by it. Critics must find a clear definition of neoclassicism if only in order to liberate neoclassical economists from the temptation to barricade themselves behind infantile arguments, namely the non-existence of their school of thought. Then, the good debate may begin.In this chapter, we offer a definition of neoclassical ec