This interview with "The Barricades" sees Professor Richard Wolff exploring the complex nature of knowledge in the context of economics. He addresses the need for a cross-disciplinary approach to understand what constitutes economic knowledge and highlights that this has traditionally been neglected in academic settings, including his own experiences in elite U.S. universities. Wolff emphasizes that the field of economics itself is modern, with diverse methodologies and foundational concepts, such as the Marxian focus on surplus versus other economic perspectives that may omit this concept. During the podcast, Wolff critiques the notion of a singular scientific method for discovering economic truths, suggesting that our individual backgrounds influence our perception and interpretation of economic data. Lastly, he posits that a true understanding of economics depends on acknowledging these differences and that facts are not absolute but are instead interpreted through personal lenses.
