At Fundación Internacional Bases, we are pleased to present «Liberalism and Economic Methodology: Contributions of Rafael Beltramino,» compiled by Federico N. Fernández with a foreword by Adrián Ravier.
This valuable compilation brings together selected works by Rafael Beltramino, a prominent figure in the field of liberal scholarship and Austrian economics, whose untimely death at the end of 2019 left an irreparable void in the Latin American intellectual world.
Who was Rafael Beltramino?
Rafael Beltramino was a multifaceted thinker, a National Public Accountant from the National University of Rosario, with a Master’s Degree in Epistemology and History of Science. His erudition was legendary, and he was considered by many to be a «living encyclopedia.» He was a teacher at the Centro Educativo Latinoamericano (UCEL) and Coordinator of the Research Group of the Fundación Bases, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the dissemination of knowledge.
As Federico Fernández points out in the introduction: «Among the many characteristics that distinguished Rafael, his erudition stood out in a special way… No matter what the topic of conversation, he always had a pertinent literary recommendation.»
Contents of the work
The book brings together six papers presented by Beltramino at various editions of the International Conference «The Austrian School of Economics in the 21st Century»:
- «The Development of Comprehensivism and the Austrian School» – An analysis of the relationship between Comprehensivism and Austrian economics.
- «The Wieser Tradition within – or without? – the Austrian School» – A review of Friedrich von Wieser’s legacy, questioning his characterization as a marginal figure.
- «The Austrian Tradition of Economic Research and its Possible Futures» – A comparative study of Koppl and White’s positions on the future of the Austrian school.
- «Fritz Machlup: A Precursor of Semantic Conception in the Philosophy of Science» – An examination of Machlup’s methodological positions.
- «Mathematics and the Austrian tradition, regarding an article by Juan Carlos and Nicolás Cachanosky» – A critical analysis of the use of mathematics in economic theory.
- «Myths and truths about Argentine liberalism» – An unpublished lecture that critically examines several common myths about liberalism in Argentina.
Free download
At the Bases International Foundation, we want to keep Rafael Beltramino’s intellectual legacy alive and make it available to all those interested in liberal economic thought and Austrian tradition.
Therefore, we invite all our readers to download this book for free in PDF and ePub format.
This book is a testament to the intellectual rigor, academic generosity, and passion for knowledge that characterized Rafael Beltramino. His non-dogmatic approach and openness to dialogue are a valuable example for those interested in the liberal tradition and economic methodology.
As Adrián Ravier points out in the prologue: «Rafael felt akin to the Austrian tradition, but he always rejected inbreeding. I couldn’t say to what extent, but it certainly helped me understand that I needed to get out of Austrian conferences and journals, and connect more with heterodox colleagues.»
Let us honor the memory of this profound thinker from Rosario by getting to know and disseminating his work.
