Economics has always used different philosophical currents to understand how individuals interact within markets. Due to the countless values and preferences in an economic system, the quest to determine right from wrong has motivated different philosophers to try to uncover the essence of the issue. Stephen Hicks explains the two philosophical theories that have influenced economic science: positivism and postmodernism. He offers insight into both approaches and compares them to the ideas of some of the most influential liberal economists. According to Hicks, subjectivity and objectivity are the two most commonly used guides for determining value.