Introduction to Economic Epistemology
Résumé de section
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The course is taught by Claire Pignol and Goulven Rubin. It takes place on Tuesdays (10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., amphi H). it is recorded.
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The course addresses some fundamental epistemological debates in economics: is economics a science similar to the natural sciences? what roles do observation and quantification, induction, and deduction play in it? Are economic laws natural? What is an economic model? It draws on fundamental concepts and authors in the philosophy of science (the Vienna Circle, Popper, Kuhn, Lakatos, etc.), as well as the hypotheses and lines of reasoning adopted and developed in various economic theories since the 18th century, as presented in the theoretical courses of the bachelor’s degree in economics (courses on comparative economic theories, microeconomics, and macroeconomics), and the epistemological and methodological analyses produced by economists themselves (Robbins, Friedman, etc.).
Outline
- Defining an Economy
- Mechanisms and Natural Laws
- Economics and Politics
- Philosophy of Science in the 20th and 21st Centuries
- Economic Models
- The Empiricist Turn
Suggested Readings
- Chalmers, A., What is this Thing Called Science?, Univ. of Queensland Press, 1999
- Boumans, M., and John B. Davis, Economic Methodology: Understanding Economics as a Science, Palgrave, 2016.
- Heilbroner, R.L., The Worldly Philosophers, 1953, Simon & Schuster, 7th edition, 1999
- Rodrik, D., Economics Rules: The Rights and Wrongs of The Dismal Science, New York: W.W. Norton; 2015.
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The sessions on October 6 and 13 have been canceled. Given the very high likelihood that the session on October 20 will not be able to take place, the class on October 20 is canceled.
- The exam for the first part of the course will cover only what was covered in class: Chapter 1 in its entirety; Chapter 2, Part I.
- A Zoom meeting (accessible below) will take place at 10:30 a.m.: you will be able to ask any questions regarding the exam, the concepts covered in class, or the high school, college, and social movements. This session is not a class and will not be recorded. To join the meeting, you will need to use your Paris 1 account. The access code is: 123651
- For your information, I am posting the lecture notes for Chapter 3 (not part of the syllabus) and the corrected multiple-choice questions for Chapters 2 (only partially part of the syllabus) and 3 (not part of the syllabus).
Course materials (lecture notes and MCQ training) will be posted after each session. Please note: These notes are not exhaustive, may contain errors, and their content may differ from what was covered in class. The exam will cover only the material studied in class.
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November 3 lectureLien partageable : https://pantheonsorbonne.zoom.us/rec/share/lhV3rZorH6n7lW-v6MPo2lb8g1N-qJQqsmYiteAOc_Q1Hgnlv5FiECSit8fQHpiC.mpq8WJlYJhN9AX8yCode secret : E6&E6HgN
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The exam is a multiple-choice test with a time limit. The topics listed here are written in French. Examples of questions in English will be provided during class sessions.
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