Finch, J. H. and McMaster, R. (2018) History matters: on the mystifying appeal of Bowles and Gintis. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 42(3), pp. 285-308. (doi: 10.1093/cje/bex002)
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Abstract
Sam Bowles and Herb Gintis have made a broad and sustained contribution to many areas of contemporary economic thought and policy discussions, centring on human interactions in economic settings. Since the mid-1980s, their work, collectively and individually, has developed from a concern with contested exchanges to analyses of behavioural repertoires pursued through evolutionary game theory in which they claim that ‘history matters’. Despite their alignment with the mainstream, they retain an appeal to some heterodox economists. We argue that this appeal is misplaced. Their theoretical work and knowledge claims rest on methodological individualism and equilibrium reasoning, which fosters an obtuse reductionism. They present a confused methodology, which seems to be motivated by a desire to remain coherent to standard economics. We show how their acceptance of methodological individualism and ergodic modelling undermines their knowledge claims as well as their declaration that history matters in their analysis.
Item Type: | Articles |
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Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Finch, Professor John and McMaster, Professor Robert |
Authors: | Finch, J. H., and McMaster, R. |
College/School: | College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management |
Journal Name: | Cambridge Journal of Economics |
Publisher: | Cambridge University Press |
ISSN: | 0309-166X |
ISSN (Online): | 1464-3545 |
Published Online: | 07 July 2017 |
Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2017 The Authors |
First Published: | First published in Cambridge Journal of Economics 42(3): 285-308 |
Publisher Policy: | Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy |
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