The last three decades have witnessed a revival of interest in value theory in economics, accompanied by mounting challenges to the neoclassical orthodoxy. Not only has neoclassical price theory come under attack, especially from the neo-Ricardian critique of contemporary capital and distribution theory, but there has also been dissatisfaction with the performance of neoclassical "value" theory as a theory of value in the broadest sense of the term. / A theory of economic value needs to do more than just provide a theoretical account of the quantitative determination of exchange values of commodities. It needs to identify the origin or source of value, and to relate the surface phenomena of prices and outputs to their underlying real value determinants. Relatedly, it should demonstrate an adequate understanding of the human processes of valuation which culminate in consumption, production and exchange activities. Finally, a theory of economic value ought to provide a framework in which prices, outputs, employment and the entire empirical realm can be evaluated, as well as to encourage such an evaluation. Neoclassical value theory has been criticized for its performance in all these areas. / Using these criteria--criteria for a comprehensive, fully-fledged theory of economic value--this dissertation examines and evaluates the major theories that have attracted support (at one time or another) during the last two centuries--the (classical) cost-of-production theory, the labor theory of value, utilitarian marginalism, and the Austrian, neoclassical and energy theories of value. / Particular attention is given to the axiological foundations of these theories. The kinship between philosophical theories of value and theories of economic value is demonstrated by addressing a variety of value issues and dichotomies encountered in the philosophical literature and by examining the forms in which these value issues appear in the specific subject area of economic value. These issues include: whether value is intrinsic or instrumental, the relationship between evaluation and descriptions, the subjective/objective "dichotomy", and the issue of whether the promotion of human welfare or the overcoming of resistance is the ground or source of value. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-08, Section: A, page: 3147. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75911 |
| Contributors | KERR, IAN ALEXANDER., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 324 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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