ABSTRACT

This is the third and final volume of collected papers of A.W. Bob Coats. Coats began to collect material for this volume in the years following the publication of the second volume in 1993, but sadly died in 2007, before the work was completed.

The volume has now been completed under the editorship of Roger Backhouse and Bruce Caldwell. Along with his articles, the compilation of the volume also reflects Coats’ interest in and commitment to book reviews, a selection of which have been chosen for inclusion. The book also includes a comprehensive bibliography.

In addition to a preface by Backhouse and Caldwell, the volume also reproduces the obituary that was published in History of Political Economy, a memoir published in 1996, and an interview with Grant Fleming, published the previous year. Together, the introductory materials, articles and reviews serve as a fitting tribute to the body of work of Bob Coats.

chapter |20 pages

Introduction

A. W. (Bob) Coats, 1924–2007

part I|398 pages

Articles

chapter 1|17 pages

Memoirs of an economist watcher

chapter 4|36 pages

Half a century of methodological controversy in economics

As reflected in the writings of T. W. Hutchison

chapter 6|8 pages

Review essay: The pillars of economic understanding

A new magisterial history of economic thought?

chapter 7|6 pages

Review essay: History of political economy

The AEA and the history of economics

chapter 9|6 pages

Comments on Schabas

The nature and significance of the “New” economic history: A response to “Parmenides and the Cliometricians”

chapter 14|5 pages

Situational determinism in economics

The implications of Lastis's argument for the historian of economics

chapter 15|21 pages

Economics and psychology

The death and resurrection of a research programme

chapter 16|15 pages

Economics and psychology

A resurrection story

chapter 21|11 pages

Methodology and professionalism in economics

A subordinate theme in Machlup's writings

chapter |5 pages

Comments

Against ‘Against convergence’

chapter 23|13 pages

The methodology of economics

Some recent contributions

chapter 24|9 pages

Economic methodology

Theory, practice, and the current state of economics 1

chapter 31|5 pages

The rhetoric of economists

A comment on McCloskey *

chapter 33|18 pages

Economic rhetoric

The social and historical context

part II|96 pages

Book reviews

chapter 1|4 pages

History of economic analysis

chapter 3|2 pages

A history of economic ideas

chapter 14|4 pages

Beyond Adam Smith's economics