I think it might be useful to distinguish micro and macroeconomics here; microeconomics is much easier to call a science, because lots of it can be experimental

I think it might be useful to distinguish micro and macroeconomics here; microeconomics is much easier to call a science, because lots of it can be experimentally validated. Macroeconomic systems can't be reproduced for experimentation in quite the same way, and are thus much harder to draw conclusions from. Related but reductionist cartoon: http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3117 http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3117