Human Nature in Modern Economics offers a precise definition of the concept of human nature in economics, something that is so far lacking in the theoretical and methodological literature.
This book develops tools for the analysis of human nature through the construction of the author’s meta-model – based on anthropological and psychological foundations – allowing for comparisons of anthropological assumptions made in economic theories. The model demonstrates that the normative functions of human nature may affect the economic reality. The chapters argue that the concept of human nature determines our thinking about the economy and economics, including fundamental methodologies, methods and theories. Thus, the differences between various economic schools may result from the different assumptions of these schools about human nature. Those evolving views of human nature proceed to explain the development of both orthodox (mainstream) and heterodox economics.
Author(s): Anna Horodecka
Series: Routledge Advances in Social Economics
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 272
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Series
Title
Copyright
Contents
List of figures
List of tables
Introduction: Human nature and economics
1 Human nature and how to study it
Introduction
The understanding of human nature
Components of human nature
Summary
2 Human nature in understanding and practising economics
Introduction
The functions of human nature in economics
Human nature in the cognitive process
The foundations of economics in the context of human nature
Summary
3 Homo oeconomicus as the starting point for alternative concepts of human nature in heterodox economics
Introduction
The evolution of human nature in mainstream economics
Criticism of the neoclassical human model from the perspective of heterodox economics
Summary
4 Alternative concepts of human nature in heterodox economics
Introduction
Ecological economics
Behavioural economics
Feminist economics
Evolutionary economics
Humanistic economics
Summary and conclusions from investigating the alternative concepts of human nature
5 Determinants of changes in the concept of human nature in economics
Introduction
The complexity of economic processes
Conditions for changes in scientific concepts of human nature
Interdisciplinary inspirations of economic concepts of human nature
Summary
6 Perspectives of economics in the light of changing concepts of human nature
Introduction
The cognitive consequences of assumptions about human nature
Practical consequences of assumptions about human nature
Directions of the evolution of economic assumptions about human nature
The role of ethics in economics
Summary
Conclusion: Human nature in modern economics
Index
