Reflections on pluralism in economics

Pluralism is one of the most problematic concepts in the social sciences. Despite a bourgeoning debate on the nature of pluralism and its relevance for economics, consideration of pluralism within economics has a short history. This paper identifies the key stages in the development of the pluralism debate within economics. This paper identifies developments in the philosophy of science, the disarray in economic methodology, the consequent pleas for tolerance in economics, and the wider orthodoxy-heterodoxy debate as key factors in shaping the nature and direction of the pluralism debate. The paper concludes with some reflections on the impact of the pluralism debate for economic pedagogy, and postulates returning to the philosophy of science and epistemology as a fruitful direction for discussing and implementing pluralism in economics.