Some Global Issues

Abstract

At certain historical periods intellectual reflection on human reality seeks new orientations, looks for wider appraisal (or reappraisal) of the past and for new horizons, and turns towards more general, ‘philosophical’ questions. One may call such periods ‘critical’ in the sense that they mark a transition to a new state of comprehension of reality. Between such critical periods human thinking continues the existing patterns, adding to the sophistication of partial argumentation, but still keeping in line with the basic questions and established paradigms. Economic theorising could be expected to follow this pattern in its development since it is part and parcel of general human reflection on socio-economic reality.