Individuals and Identity in EconomicsThis book examines the different conceptions of the individual that have emerged in recent new approaches in economics, including behavioral economics, experimental economics, social preferences approaches, game theory, neuroeconomics, evolutionary and complexity economics, and the capability approach. These conceptions are classified according to whether they seek to revise the traditional atomist individual conception, put new emphasis on interaction and relations between individuals, account for individuals as evolving and self-organizing, and explain individuals in terms of capabilities. The method of analysis uses two identity criteria for distinguishing and re-identifying individuals to determine whether these different individual conceptions successfully identify individuals. Successful individual conceptions account for sub-personal and supra-personal bounds on single individual explanations. The former concerns the fragmentation of individuals into multiple selves; the latter concerns the dissolution of individuals into the social. The book develops an understanding of bounded individuality, seen as central to the defense of human rights. |
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agents Akerlof and Kranton analysis argue argument atomistic atomistic individual conception Bacharach behavioral economics Bénabou and Tirole Binmore Cambridge capabilities conception capability approach capability development capacity chapter choice cognitive collective social identities conception of individuals context coordination games decision makers develop their capabilities dynamic economists emphasize evolutionary Experimental Economics experimental subjects explain individuals game theory George Loewenstein Homo economicus Homo economicus conception human ibid idea indi individual’s involves Journal of Economic Kahneman and Tversky multiple selves problem Nash equilibrium neural neuroeconomics neuroscience normative one’s people’s personal identity play players preference construction preference reversals prospect theory reflexive regarding relational social identities representations revise role Ross self-concepts self-image self-narratives self-organizing self-representations Simon simply single individuals social categories social groups social identity theory social interaction social psychology strategies structure sub-personal Thaler thinking tion types understanding University Press utility function value pluralism viduals