经济理论、数学运用与经济学的语言：一个基于相关文献的评述
内容提要：经济研究中关于数学使用的争论，实际上关系到对经济学的性质与意义、范围与方法等问题的讨论，同时也涉及到经济学对其语言的一个选择问题。通过对经济研究中数学使用争论背后的实质、数学滥用的评判标准及其解决之道等相关问题的考察与评析，本文认为，经济研究需要数学，尤其是在那些与经济运行量及量之间的关系密切相关的研究中，但数学只是一个有益的辅助工具，并不是惟一的研究方法。那种认为只有数学才能使经济学成为科学乃至“硬”科学的观点，是犯了“诉诸权威”的逻辑谬误。然而，对于数学滥用的判断，不能只以经济学文献中数学形式化的量的多寡为依据，还应该结合经济研究的层次――基础研究、专题研究和对策研究，通过成本与收益分析的方法来衡量。数学既是一种方法，也是一种语言。经济学家应该关注经济学语言的选择，经济学语言的使用也要符合经济学原则。
Economics Theory, Mathematical Application, and the Language of Economics
Center for Economic Research, Shandong Universtiy
Abstract:There is a long-time debate about the use of mathematics in economics. In fact, it is closely related to those discussions on the nature, significance, scope and method of economics. This paper analyzes the essentials behind the debate of the use of mathematics in economics, and reviews the criteria for the abuse of mathematics as well as its solutions. The author concludes that economic research needs mathematics, especially in the research of the economic quantities and their relationships. However, mathematics is a helpful tool, not the only method. The opinion that believes only using mathematics can economics be a science or a “hard” science is under the lead of logical fallacy of “appealing to authority”. As to the judgment of the abuse of mathematics, it can not be simply based on the quantities of the mathematical formalism in the economic literatures, but also on the cost-benefit analysis of the use of mathematics according to the different levels of economic research. Mathematics is either a method, or a language. Economists should keep an eye on the selection of the language of economics, and the language of economics should accord with the economic principle.
Key words:mathematical formalism, the language of economics, methodology
