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Abducting Economics

Author

Listed:
  • James J. Heckman
  • Burton Singer

Abstract

Abduction is the process of generating and choosing models, hypotheses, and data analyzed in response to surprising findings. All good empirical economists abduct. Explanations usually evolve as studies evolve. The abductive approach challenges economists to step outside the framework of received notions about the "identification problem" that rigidly separates the act of model and hypothesis creation from the act of inference from data. It asks the analyst to engage models and data in an iterative dynamic process, using multiple models and sources of data in a back and forth where both models and data are augmented as learning evolves.

Suggested Citation

  • James J. Heckman & Burton Singer, 2017. "Abducting Economics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 298-302, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:107:y:2017:i:5:p:298-302
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20171118
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Milton Friedman, 1957. "Introduction to "A Theory of the Consumption Function"," NBER Chapters, in: A Theory of the Consumption Function, pages 1-6, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Milton Friedman, 1957. "A Theory of the Consumption Function," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number frie57-1, March.
    3. Gilboa, Itzhak & Samuelson, Larry & Schmeidler, David, 2015. "Analogies and Theories: Formal Models of Reasoning," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198738022.
    4. Gilboa,Itzhak & Schmeidler,David, 2001. "A Theory of Case-Based Decisions," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521802345.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Charles E. Eesley & Yong Suk Lee, 2021. "Do university entrepreneurship programs promote entrepreneurship?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(4), pages 833-861, April.
    2. Subhadeep & Mukhopadhyay, 2022. "Modelplasticity and Abductive Decision Making," Papers 2203.03040, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2023.
    3. Joep Cornelissen & Mariëtte Kaandorp, 2023. "Towards Stronger Causal Claims in Management Research: Causal Triangulation Instead of Causal Identification," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 834-860, June.
    4. Deep Mukhopadhyay, 2021. "Abductive Inference and C. S. Peirce: 150 Years Later," Papers 2111.08054, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2023.
    5. Evan Starr & Brent Goldfarb, 2020. "Binned scatterplots: A simple tool to make research easier and better," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(12), pages 2261-2274, December.
    6. Murmann, Martin & Salmivaara, Virva & Kibler, Ewald, 2023. "How does late-career entrepreneurship relate to innovation?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    7. Justman, Moshe, 2018. "Randomized controlled trials informing public policy: Lessons from project STAR and class size reduction," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 167-174.
    8. Josephson, Anna & Michler, Jeffrey D., 2018. "Viewpoint: Beasts of the field? Ethics in agricultural and applied economics," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1-11.
    9. Armstrong, Christopher & Kepler, John D. & Samuels, Delphine & Taylor, Daniel, 2022. "Causality redux: The evolution of empirical methods in accounting research and the growth of quasi-experiments," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2).
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists
    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics

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