I describe the main peculiarities of economics distinguishing it from natural sciences. I begin with a critical analysis of economists' practical achievements and of the lack of reality in certain areas of contemporary economic theory. Then I analyse the causes for this situation. I describe in turn: 1. The status of experiment and observation in economics. 2. Uncertainty of economic predictions and their lack of concreteness. 3. The impact of research on the object of economic analysis. 4. The impact of human interests on economics. The final part of the article presents main conclusions: 1. The limited ability of economists to accumulate knowledge stems from accumulation of problems which are known in natural sciences as well. 2. The precondition of further development of economics as an empirical science is to abandon unrealistic models and to develop and test empirical theories.

Keywords: methodology of economics, economics as a science, falsificationism.

  Bogusław Czarny, The Methodological Pecularities of Economics - plik pdf; (249 KB)