REFLECTIONS ON MATHEMATICAL ECONOMICS IN THE ALGORITHMIC MODE

Non-standard analysis can be harnessed by the recursion theorist. But as a computable economist, the conundrums of the Löwenheim-Skolem theorem and the associated Skolem paradox, seem to pose insurmountable epistemological difficulties against the use of algorithmic non-standard analysis. Discontinuities can be tamed by recursive analysis. This particular kind of taming may be a way out of the formidable obstacles created by the difficulties of Diophantine Decision Problems. Methods of existence proofs, used by the "classical" mathematician — even if not invoking the axiom of choice — cannot be shown to be equivalent to the exhibition of an instance in the sense of a constructive proof. These issues were prompted by the fertile and critical contributions to this special issue.