ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the reception of Debreu's formalisation. It distinguishes a majority opinion from a minority opinion. The chapter explores Hahn's own philosophy of the formalisation of economics with that of Debreu. It shows how Hahn is in line with the Hilbertian formalists in maintaining that Debreu's existence proof merely establishes the logical possibility of equilibrium and nothing more. The chapter introduces a brief synopsis of Hahn's, possibly unique, conception of the formalisation of economics as a grammar of argumentation, grounded in his commitments. it focuses on Kaldor's rejection of the neo-Walrasian programme. Kaldor draws out attention to the original aspiration of the neo-Walrasian programme, namely to establish the existence of an equilibrium set of prices that is unique, stable and satisfies the conditions of Pareto optimality. Uniqueness would establish that there is one and only one such equilibrium and stability would demonstrate that this equilibrium set of prices would maintain itself in the face of chance disturbances.
