The Homo Economicus Conception of the Individual: An Ontological Approach

Davis, John B.

The Homo Economicus Conception of the Individual: An Ontological Approach

HANDBOOK OF PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE: PHILOSOPHY OF ECONOMICS, Uskali Mäki, vol. ed., Dov M. Gabbay, Paul Thagard, John Woods. gen. eds., Elsevier, Forthcoming

45 Pages Posted: 20 Mar 2010

See all articles by John B. Davis

John B. Davis

Marquette University - Department of Economics; University of Amsterdam

Date Written: March 19, 2010

Abstract

This chapter discusses the Homo economicus conception of the individual in economics in its neoclassical formulation from an ontological point of view. It distinguishes ontological and epistemological analysis, sets forth identity conditions for the evaluation of the he Homo economicus conception, discusses the multiple selves problem, discusses social identity as a form of multiple selves problem, reviews Arrow, Harsanyi, and Lucas as precursor social identity arguments, reviews the social identity arguments of Akerlof and Kranton, Sen, and Horst, Kirman, and Teschl, and comments briefly on recent research approaches in economics relative to how individuals are portrayed as socially embedded.

Keywords: Homo economicus, identity conditions, multiple selves, social identity

JEL Classification: B4

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Davis, John B., The Homo Economicus Conception of the Individual: An Ontological Approach (March 19, 2010). HANDBOOK OF PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE: PHILOSOPHY OF ECONOMICS, Uskali Mäki, vol. ed., Dov M. Gabbay, Paul Thagard, John Woods. gen. eds., Elsevier, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1574975