o avanço do processo de matematização na academia brasileira de economia desde a década de 1980 MauRIcIo luPeRI* The advance of the mathematization process in the Brazilian academy of Economics since the 1980s. Looking at the economic discourse, we try to study in this article how has mathematization in economics advanced in Brazil in the last three decades. To see this, we have classified into several categories all articles published in three major economic journals of the country (Revista Brasileira de Economia, Estudos Econômicos and Revista de Economia Política) and the publications made in the meetings ANPEC from 1981 to 2010, according to the type of argument used. The total of articles analyzed adds up to 5.733. We try to see how the path of economic discourse, making it more mathematical, did develop. We found that there was an increased use of a formalized language from the mid-1990s onwards. Finally, to confirm our findings, we focus on the process of mathematization through the observation of quantitative variable: equations per article.

RESUMO: Por meio da discussão de vários autores sobre o processo de matematização da economia, procuramos esclarecer o progresso deste processo no mundo. Mirowski (1991) analisa esse fenômeno e acha que ele começou mais fortemente a partir de 1925. No entanto, ele não mostra em seu artigo como a matemática e a física qualitativamente impactaram a economia. Este é o objetivo principal deste artigo: descrever, de maneira sistemática, como a matemática e a física influenciaram a constituição da economia, culminando na adoção do equilíbrio geral como metateoria e a generalização do método hipotético-dedutivo. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Matematização; economia; processo; discurso; equilíbrio.ABSTRACT: Through discussion of several authors, dealing with the process of mathematicization of the economy, we seek to clarify the progress of this process in the world. Mirowski (1991) analyzes this phenomenon and finds that it began more strongly from 1925. However, he does not show in his article as mathematics and physics qualitatively influenced the economy. This is our primary goal in this paper: an account, in a systematic way, of how mathematics and physics have influenced constitution of economics, culminating in the adoption of general equilibrium as metatheory and the generalization of the hypothetical-method deductive.

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Many economists show certain nonconformity relative to the excessive mathematical formalization of economics. This stems from dissatisfaction with the old debate about the lack of correspondence between mainstream theoretical models and reality. Although we do not propose to settle this debate here, this article seeks to associate the mismatch of mathematized models with the reality of the adoption of the hypothetical-deductive method as reproduced by general equilibrium. We begin by defining the main benefits of the mathematization of economics. Secondly, we address traditional criticism leveled against it. We then focus on more recent criticism from Gillies (2005) and Bresser-Pereira (2008). Finally, we attempt to associate the reproduction of the hypothetical-deductive method with a metatheoretical process triggered by Debreu's general equilibrium theory. In this respect, we appropriate the ideas of Weintraub (2002), Punzo (1991), and mainly Woo (1986) to support our hypothesis.

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