Sur les modalités du développement de la science économique. Quatre lignes d'interrogation

The ability of economics to answer more and more diverse questions goes with rising contestations of its relevance. The paper analyses the evolution of the discipline along four perspectives, in contemporary societies where information and knowledge tend to be more specifically valued. The first perspective bears on the more of less cumulative dimension of the evolution of the discipline. Another connex question looks at the way in which the history of the discipline is incorporated in its development. A third line of interrogation deals with the methods and the relations between theoretical and empirical developments. The last approach looks at the relations with other sciences, especially human and social sciences. This balancesheet, even if it remains quite open to diverse interpretations, suggests that some readjustments on the four lignes of investigation could improve the unity and relevance of the discipline. Classification JEL : A11, A12, A13, B40