Epistemology of the Virtual and the Real in Economics: The Diffusion of Interdisciplinarity

This editorial addresses the evolving epistemological landscape of economics in the context of digitalisation, virtualisation, and the increasing interpenetration of disciplinary domains. It reflects on how the emergence of virtual economies—ranging from platform ecosystems and digital labour to metaverses, NFTs, and decentralised finance—necessitates a reassessment of the traditional boundaries between the “real†and the “virtual†in economic thought. As these domains become increasingly entangled, economic categories such as value, labour, capital, and consumption are being reconfigured within hybrid infrastructures that are simultaneously symbolic, technological, and material. The article explores the implications of this shift for economic theory, arguing that reflexivity and interdisciplinarity are no longer peripheral concerns, but central conditions for knowledge production. Drawing on developments in cultural studies, information theory, sociology, and law, the editorial examines how economic research is enriched by methodological pluralism and conceptual openness. It also considers the mechanisms through which interdisciplinary knowledge circulates—academic publishing, research networks, funding schemes, and policy discourse—while acknowledging structural and epistemological constraints that hinder integration. Finally, the editorial reflects on the role of journals such as Virtual Economics as platforms for epistemic experimentation and disciplinary renewal. It invites scholars from diverse fields to engage with the shifting boundaries of economic inquiry and to contribute to the construction of a more open, pluralistic, and digitally attuned economic science—one capable of grappling with the complexities of both the virtual and the real in the 21st century.