Analysis and synthesis are the key methods of logical cognition. They are widely and successfully used in economics to understand and study the processes, phenomena, laws that take place in modern society.
General information
Both analysis and synthesis belong to the category of general scientific methods, which are studied, including the methodology of economic theory. Actually, through analysis, as a process of logical division of an object into its component parts for their study, and synthesis, as a study of the object as a whole, a systematic approach to understanding the phenomenon under study is provided. At the same time, during the analysis, there is a movement from the concrete to the abstract, because the object is divided into abstract components, which helps to understand their specific distinguishing characteristics. During synthesis, there is a mental reverse movement from the abstract to the concrete, which allows you to explore the object as a whole in the process of interaction. This helps to understand and explain the contradictions that are inherent in an object or phenomenon.
Analysis and synthesis in economics
An example of an economic analysis is the process of researching the cost of goods by component, i.e. the cost of raw materials, the cost of marketing and administration processes, the price of energy spent on the production, etc. An example of synthesis is the determination of the cost of the same product as the sum of all costs in general. The subdivision of general economic theory into micro- and macroeconomics is logically connected with the use of methods of analysis and synthesis.
Analysis and synthesis of commodity relations
An example of the use of analysis and synthesis can also be the process of studying the turnover in society, namely, the study of the question of why, in general, there is a turnover, what drives this process and what are its regularities. In this case, each individual product is examined as a separate object and the inherent properties are determined by the method of analysis. It is analytically easy to establish that any product satisfies a certain human need, in other words, it is an abstract utility for the consumer, therefore it has a certain consumer value. Moreover, it is obvious that the exchange value is also inherent in the goods, i.e. the ability to exchange in proportions with each other. Thus, based on the application of the analysis, two categories are identified - use value and exchange value. Further, in order to understand what is the relationship between these categories, synthesis is used. Synthetic comprehension leads to the conclusion that this relationship is determined by social value and market value. Those. the social value determines the utility for society, and the market value - the valuation in monetary terms or relative to other goods and services on the market.
It should be noted that the study and substantiation of economic phenomena by methods of analysis and synthesis can be accompanied by errors. In particular, such common errors as false reasoning (or sophistry), division errors, and composition errors. In this regard, the application of the above-mentioned methods requires a certain qualification and experience of those specialists who have to apply them in their work.
