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Economics, cognitive science and social cognition

Here is the intro to Don’s paper: This essay concerns the role of economics in the interdisciplinary study of social cognition. Increasingly many economists believe that economics has such a role. Most who hold this opinion do so because they think that, to some extent, important parts of microeconomics should collapse into psychology. They think this…

Herbert Simon

Since I missed marking the birth of Simon on the 15th, here’s a belated posting of an obituary by his student Edward A. Feigenbaum. (I’m pleased to report that my co-edited project with Roger Frantz commemorating the centenary of HS’s birth is coming together very nicely. HS’s daughter has been incredibly responsive towards the project). Herbert…

Minds, Models and Milieux

Minds, Models and Milieux: Commemorating the Centenary of Herbert Simon’s Birth Edited by Roger Frantz (San Diego State University) and Leslie Marsh (University of British Columbia) Call for Papers Herbert Simon (June 15, 1916 – February 9, 2001) was a polymath of the highest order, making significant contributions to sociology, political science, behavioral economics, epistemology, cognitive…

Herbert Simon as Behavioral Economist

Here is a draft of a co-authored entry for Real World Decision Making: An Encyclopedia of Behavioral Economics. Morris Altman, editor. Santa Barbara: Praeger. Behavioral economicsBounded Rationalitycognitive closuredistributed cognitiondistributed knowledgeExternalismFrederick Winslow TaylorHerbert SimonLuther GulickLyndall Urwickrationalismrationalitysatisficingsituated cognitionStigmergyTuring

Herbert Simon in Red

Many of you who follow this website will know of my enthusiasm for Herbert Simon. Here is an unusual portrait of Simon painted by the very distinguished Richard Rappaport (wikipedia entry) that I chanced upon and for good measure, I include a link to Simon’s last interview. Artificial intelligenceBehavioral economicsBounded RationalityHerbert SimonRichard Rappaportsocial epistemologySocial SciencesSociology

Is Behavioral Economics Doomed?

Here is a skeptical take on the insights supposedly offered by the rise of behavioral economics as represented by Daniel Kahneman and others. Since I’m in the process of reviewing Kahneman it will be interesting to see if Levine’s take on behavioral economics jibes with my take on Kahneman in particular and behavioral economics in…