Popper and Sen on Rationality and Economics: Two (Independent) Wrong Turns Can Be Remedied with the Same Program

Wettersten, John

doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-9338-8_27

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…But Popper never adequately generalized the theory that scientific method is necessarily a social process, that is, he never thought about what it meant when rationality is quite generally social. He clung all too much to methodological individualism (Wettersten, 2009). According to methodological individualism each individual is rational when she formulates her own problems, seeks alternative solutions, and chooses that solution which best enables her to reach her personal goals.…”

Section: The Socialization Of Rationality By the Philosophy Of Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

From Selz to Gigerenzer: A thought-psychological research history, which needs a Popperian, fallibilist theory of rationality to effectively develop

Wettersten

2017

Theory & Psychology

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Two sharply separated traditions in the philosophy of science and in thought psychology began with Otto Selz’s psychology. The first tradition began with Karl Popper; it has been developed by many others. The developers of the second tradition have included Julius Bahle, Adriaan de Groot, Herbert Simon, and Gerd Gigerenzer. The first tradition has ignored empirical studies of thought processes. The second tradition is widely based on Simon’s inductivist philosophy. The first tradition can be improved by integrating empirical studies of rationality into its research. The second tradition can be improved by replacing its inductivist assumptions with a fallibilist framework.

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Section: The Socialization Of Rationality By the Philosophy Of Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

From Selz to Gigerenzer: A thought-psychological research history, which needs a Popperian, fallibilist theory of rationality to effectively develop

Wettersten

2017

Theory & Psychology

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“…One may then switch the aim of social science from, on the one hand, explaining how the rational action of individuals leads in sum to social consequences to, on the other hand, the aim of explaining how institutions lead to specific kinds of results. (Wettersten, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2006a, 2006b, 2007, 2009, 2010a, 2010b, 2011, 2012a, 2012b, 2012c, 2013, 2014) On this alternative theory of rational action, the individualist assumption that only individuals act and that individuals are free to choose their actions is maintained. But their rationality is seen to be dependent on institutions.…”

Section: How Can Fallibilist Political Options Be Broadened? the Critmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical rationalists much too narrow contribution to Der Positivismusstreit: Alternative political theories which conform to fallibilist, individualist methodologies were needed then and are needed today

Wettersten

2015

Journal of Classical Sociology

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The very dubious results of Der Positivismusstreit are explained as consequences of a methodological breakdown between two schools. But this debate is nevertheless relevant for today’s discussions due to its historical role in setting today’s framework. The methodological breakdown between the schools is overcome to a partial degree by presuming some overlap in methods. The misunderstandings of the past are set in today’s context, where critical realists have abandoned much of their previous doctrines, and the failure of critical rationalists to acquire more influence than they have is explained as in large part due to their failure to avoid identification with conservative economic-cum-political theory, above all that of Hayek. This mistake is corrected by explaining how improved critical rationalist methods are consistent with a variety of political alternatives and may be used to critically examine them.

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How to Integrate Economic, Social, and Political Theory: Revise the Rationality Principle

Wettersten

2018

The Impact of Critical Rationalism

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Popper and Sen on Rationality and Economics: Two (Independent) Wrong Turns Can Be Remedied with the Same Program

Cited by 4 publications

References 11 publications

From Selz to Gigerenzer: A thought-psychological research history, which needs a Popperian, fallibilist theory of rationality to effectively develop

From Selz to Gigerenzer: A thought-psychological research history, which needs a Popperian, fallibilist theory of rationality to effectively develop

Critical rationalists much too narrow contribution to Der Positivismusstreit: Alternative political theories which conform to fallibilist, individualist methodologies were needed then and are needed today

How to Integrate Economic, Social, and Political Theory: Revise the Rationality Principle

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