Economics as a Science of Human Behaviour : Towards a New Social Science Paradigm

Bruno S Frey

ISBN 10: 0792384342 / ISBN 13: 9780792384342

Edité par Springer Us Jul 1999, 1999

A propos de cet article

Neuware - This book champions the view that economics is a social science, and that, moreover, it may serve as a new paradigm for the social sciences. Economics is taken to be part of those sciences which deal with actual problems of society by providing insights, improving our understanding and suggesting solutions. I am aware that the way problems are addressed here has little in common with economics as it is generally understood today; most economists make strong efforts to imitate the exact sciences. Economics tends to become a branch of applied mathematics; the majority of all publications in professional journals and books are full of axioms, lemmas and proofs, and they are much concerned with purely formal deductions. Often, when the results are translated into verbal language, or when they are applied empirically, disappointingly little of interest remains. The book wants to show that another type of economics exists which is surprisingly little known. This type of economics has its own particular point of view. It centres on a concept of man, or a model of human behaviour, which differs from those normally used in other social sciences such as sociology, political science, law, or psychology. I do not, however, claim that economics is the only legitimate social science. On the contrary, economics can provide useful insights only in collaboration with the other social Vll Vlll PREFACE sciences-an aspect which has been disregarded by mathematically oriented economics.

N° de réf. du vendeur 9780792384342

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Economics as a Science of Human Behaviour : Towards a New Social Science Paradigm
• Éditeur: Springer Us Jul 1999
• Date de parution: 1999
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN à 10 chiffres: 0792384342
• ISBN à 13 chiffres: 9780792384342
• Reliure: Buch
• Édition: 2ème Édition
• État de l'article: Neu
• Dimensions: 241 L x 160 H x 20 P (en millimètres) 241 millimètres de largeur par 160 millimètres de hauteur par 20 millimètres de profondeur
• Poids: 571 grammes

A propos de ce titre

Synopsis

This book champions the view that economics is a social science, and that, moreover, it may serve as a new paradigm for the social sciences. Economics is taken to be part of those sciences which deal with actual problems of society by providing insights, improving our understanding and suggesting solutions. I am aware that the way problems are addressed here has little in common with economics as it is generally understood today; most economists make strong efforts to imitate the exact sciences. Economics tends to become a branch of applied mathematics; the majority of all publications in professional journals and books are full of axioms, lemmas and proofs, and they are much concerned with purely formal deductions. Often, when the results are translated into verbal language, or when they are applied empirically, disappointingly little of interest remains. The book wants to show that another type of economics exists which is surprisingly little known. This type of economics has its own particular point of view. It centres on a concept of man, or a model of human behaviour, which differs from those normally used in other social sciences such as sociology, political science, law, or psychology. I do not, however, claim that economics is the only legitimate social science. On the contrary, economics can provide useful insights only in collaboration with the other social Vll Vlll PREFACE sciences-an aspect which has been disregarded by mathematically oriented economics.