ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that a methodological position similar to John Worrall’s structural realism can be found in the history of the consumption function. Realism about structure reveals two points that are pertinent to structural realism. The first is the concept of structure that Worrall does not clearly define. The other point is the relations between model and structure. Structure usually goes beyond the formal mathematical level that concerns Worrall, and is particularly construed in terms of invariance in the study of consumption function. Realism has many faces, but the most commonly recognized one is ‘scientific realism’. Yet Worrall’s characterization of scientific practices on the importance of maintaining and using the structure can likewise be found in the history of the consumption function. In particular, the framework of intertemporal choices is regarded as the structure of the consumption function.
