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William Stanley Jevons Quotes

Economist

William Stanley Jevons was a British economist born on September 1, 1835, and died on August 13, 1882. He was a pioneer in the theory of marginal utility and had a profound impact on the development of economics.

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Famous William Stanley Jevons Quotes

“One of the most important axioms is, that as the quantity of any commodity, for instance, plain food, which a man has to consume, increases, so the utility or benefit derived from the last portion used decreases in degree. The decrease in enjoyment between the beginning and the end of a meal may be taken as an example.”

Men May Important Ends Lasts Used Taken Example Degrees Benefits Increase Instance Meals Enjoyment Portions Quantity Commodity Utility Decrease Axioms

Book:Papers and correspondence of William Stanley Jevons

Source: Papers and correspondence of William Stanley Jevons

“Among minor alterations, I may mention the substitution for the name political economy of the single convenient term economics. I cannot help thinking that it would be well to discard, as quickly as possible, the old troublesome double-worded name of our science.”

Thinking Wells May Helping Would Be Political Names Term Economy Economics Minors Convenient Troublesome Alterations Substitution Political Economy

Book:The Theory of Political Economy

Source: The Theory of Political Economy

“A spade may be made of any size, and if the same number of strokes be made in the hour, the requisite exertion will vary nearly as the cube of the length of the blade.”

Ifs May Made Hours Numbers Size Length Strokes Blades Vary Exertion Cubes Spades

Book:The Theory of Political Economy

Source: The Theory of Political Economy

“You will perceive that economy, scientifically speaking, is a very contracted science; it is in fact a sort of vague mathematics which calculates the causes and effects of man's industry, and shows how it may be best applied.”

Men May Facts Shows Causes Economy Effects Industry Mathematics Perceive Vague Cause And Effect

Book:Letters & Journal of W. Stanley Jevons, Ed

Source: Letters & Journal of W. Stanley Jevons, Ed

“When quite young I can remember I had no thought or wish of surpassing others. I was rather taken with a liking of little arts and bits of learning. My mother carefully fostered a liking for botany, giving me a small microscope and many books, which I yet have. Strange as it may seem, I now believe that botany and the natural system, by exercising discrimination of kinds, is the best of logical exercises. What I may do in logic is perhaps derived from that early attention to botany.”