Insider apology for microeconomic theorising?

Janssen, Maarten, Knuuttila, Tarja and Morgan, Mary S. ORCID: 0000-0003-3471-2180 (2024) Insider apology for microeconomic theorising? Journal of Economic Methodology. ISSN 1350-178x

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Abstract

This comment on 'Economic theories and their Dueling interpretations' questions the descriptive adequacy of the ‘sociology of economics' proposed by Gilboa, Postlewaite, Samuelson, and Schmeidler (GPSS) (2022). We ask whether economists still perceive the role of microeconomic theory as central as do GPSS. In particular, is present-day economics unified by the principles of maximising, subject to constraints and equilibrium analysis? We argue that this is not the case. GPSS’ appeal to the interpretative flexibility of economic theories appears apologetic, especially the suggestion that theories and models, which once were considered positive descriptions or predictive instruments, are now cast as analytical or methodological exercises. We conclude on a more constructive note, drawing from the recent philosophical discussion of modelling which, quite paradoxically, grants highly idealized and simplified models a more important role than GPSS appear to allow.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rjec20
Additional Information:	© 2024 The Author(s)
Divisions:	Economic History
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory
JEL classification:	D - Microeconomics > D0 - General > D00 - General
Date Deposited:	09 Apr 2024 13:45
Last Modified:	15 Nov 2024 05:36
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/122588

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