William Kapp’s Theory of Science Integration and Cumulative Causation

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  • ウィリアム・カップの科学統合論と累積的因果関係論
  • ウィリアム カップ ノ カガク トウゴウロン ト ルイセキテキ インガ カンケイロン

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This paper aims to study the characteristics of the principles of Karl William Kapp’s cumulative causation. While Kapp’s cumulative causation is strongly influenced by that of Gunnar Myrdal, it is not a model that merely explains disequilibrium or the “vicious circle” phenomena. Kapp was always interested in constructing a model that addresses issues arising from the compartmentalization of modern sciences. Therefore, his critique of mainstream economics should be understood in this context. 　 Kapp argued that the approaches of mainstream economics were misleading because they isolated economic systems from non-economic elements. According to him, the trend toward the compartmentalization of mainstream economics could be inhibited by employing a cumulativecausation approach. Kapp’s institutional economics, which integrates cumulative causation, is an approach that refutes the atomistic views of the world proposed by mainstream economics. Through these atomistic views, individuals regarded as eternal; however, Kapp’s approach regards them as transient phenomena appearing in holistic dynamic processes. Furthermore, his approach shows that a human being is an existence with a multi-level construction. 　 A human being is a “bio-cultural” existence that grows physically and personally, incorporating material and energy from nature, and culture from the society. Some societies ignore the latent ability of their members and attempt to limit them to the mould of a particular culture. Kapp described this aspect by means of principles of cumulative causation. JEL classification numbers: B 25, B 31, Q 50.

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