The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science

Title Page, Copyright

the ultimate foundation of economic science An Essay on Method  Titles in the Liberty Fund Library of the Works of Ludwig von Mises Theory and History: An Interpretation of Social and Economic Evolution Liberalism: The Classical Tradition Human Action: A Treatise on Economics The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science: An Essay on Method Nation, State, and Economy: Contributions to the Politics and History of Our Time The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science An Essay on Method ludwig von mises Edited by Bettina Bien Greaves liberty fund Indianapolis  This book is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a foundation established to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. The cuneiform inscription that serves as our logo and as the design motif for our endpapers is the earliest-known written appearance of the word “freedom” (amagi), or “liberty.” It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 b.c. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash. Editorial Additions © 2006 Liberty Fund, Inc. Front cover photograph of Ludwig von Mises used by permission of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Auburn, Alabama. Frontispiece courtesy of Bettina Bien Greaves All Rights Reserved First published in 1962 by William Volker Fund in association with D. Van Nostrand, Inc. The second edition was published in 1978 by the Institute for Humane Studies, Inc. In 2002, Bettina Bien Greaves reprinted the second edition in association with the Foundation for Economic Education. Printed in the United States of America 10 09 08 07 06 c 5 4 3 2 1 10 09 08 07 06 p 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Von Mises, Ludwig, 1881–1973. The ultimate foundation of economic science: an essay on method/ Ludwig von Mises.—2nd ed. p. cm.—(Liberty Fund library of the works of Ludwig von Mises) “The second edition was published in 1978 by the Institute for Humane Studies, Inc. In 2002, Bettina Bien Greaves reprinted the second edition in association with the Foundation for Economic Education”—T.p. verso. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn-13: 978-0-86597-638-2 (hardcover: alk. paper) isbn-10: 0-86597-638-4 (hardcover: alk. paper) isbn-13: 978-0-86597-639-9 (pbk.: alk. paper) isbn-10: 0-86597-639-2 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Economics. 2. Economics—Methodology. 3. Positivism. I. Title. II. Series: Von Mises, Ludgwig, 1881–1973. Works. 2005. HB71.V65 2006 330.01—dc22 2005033274 Liberty Fund, Inc. 8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46250-1684 ...