Mathematical Economics

The first part of this book is an introduction to the history and scope of mathematical economics, from the beginnings around 1830 to around 1960, when comprehensive treatises on mathematical economics could still be written. The second part is a mathematics refresher for students of economics, containing the essentials from mathematical logic and algebra to calculus, differential equations, and mathematical programming. The book is slimmer than most similar books, which contain more material than can be covered during a course. The residual material as handbook stuff for future work is of dubious value. Neither mathematics nor economics are static. Mathematics alone adds some hundred thousand new theorems each year; so who can tell what is current tomorrow? Better to concentrate on the essentials and on the mathematical way of thinking. Most texts also aim at too much rigour, forgetting that economists, as users of the methods can do with less rigour than mathematicians. Intuitive concepts, especially if aided by computer graphics, can replace some of the rigour and speed up learning. This has been recognized by physicists, whereas economists copy attitudes from pure mathematics.