Economic Theory and Cognitive Science: MicroexplanationIn this study Don Ross explores the relationship of economics to other branches of behavioral science, asking, in the course of his analysis, under what interpretation economics is a sound empirical science. The book explores the relationships between economic theory and the theoretical foundations of related disciplines that are relevant to the day-to-day work of economics - the cognitive and behavioral sciences. It asks whether the increasingly sophisticated techniques of microeconomic analysis have revealed any deep empirical regularities - whether technical improvement represents improvement in any other sense. Casting Daniel Dennett and Kenneth Binmore as its intellectual heroes, the book proposes a comprehensive model of economic theory that, Ross argues, does not supplant but recovers the core neoclassical insights and counters the caricaturish conception of neoclassicism so derided by advocates of behavioral or evolutionary economics. |
Contents
IntentionalStance Functionalism | 35 |
Separate Neoclassical Microeconomics | 71 |
Philosophical Issues in Revealed Preference | 121 |
Experimental Economics Evolutionary Game Theory | 167 |
Individualism Consciousness and Agency | 213 |
Selves and Their Games | 267 |
Rational Agency and Rational Selfhood | 317 |
The RobbinsSamuelson Argument Pattern and Its Foils | 377 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
adaptationism agency analysis anthropocentric argues argument Aristotelian assumption basis behavioral science beliefs Binmore biological brain Cambridge causal chapter choice claim classical cognitive science complex computational concept constraints context coordination games course Dennett discussed domain Dupré dynamics economic agents economic theory economists eliminativism eliminativist empirical equilibrium evolutionary game evolutionary game theory expected utility explain fact game theory given human humanist hyperbolic discounting hypothesis idea individual intentional stance intentional-stance functionalism interests internal interpretation introspection Jevons logical maximization mereological metaphysical methodological microeconomics Mirowski motivated natural selection neoclassical economics neoclassicism neuroeconomics neurons nomics normative objects ontological optimization patterns philosophical physical players positivism positivist possible predict preference problem processes properties psychology question rational reasons relations relationship relevant Robbins Robbins's Ross Samuelson Samuelsonian scientific Sen's sense social sort specific strategies structure Sugden supposed systematic theorists thesis things tion University Press utility functions