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Vulnerabili e appassionati. Sui fondamenti antropologici della scienza economica

Author

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  • Nicolò Bellanca

    (Università degli Studi di Firenze)

Abstract

Without the passions there would be little reason to act at all. Nevertheless, in standard economic models human action is driven solely by self-interest: the passions are supposed to interfere with our ability to form rational beliefs and to make rational choices. In fact, any action originated and nurtured by passions places its own raison d’être in itself. The acts motivated by passions can either improve or (even) worsen one’s wellbeing: there might not be any payoff in both the present and the future, and monetary incentives do not influence or mitigate their nature. Above all, under the influence of the passions, the actor does not calculate but instead “loses control”. This paper argues against the separation of passion-infused intimate relations and economic theory through a reconsideration of the anthropological conception of the economics.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolò Bellanca, 2014. "Vulnerabili e appassionati. Sui fondamenti antropologici della scienza economica," Working Papers - Economics wp2014_05.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    • Handle: RePEc:frz:wpaper:wp2014_05.rdf
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Uri Gneezy & Stephan Meier & Pedro Rey-Biel, 2011. "When and Why Incentives (Don't) Work to Modify Behavior," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 25(4), pages 191-210, Fall.
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    3. Jon Elster, 1998. "Emotions and Economic Theory," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 36(1), pages 47-74, March.
    4. Jack Hirshleifer, 1993. "The Affections and the Passions," Rationality and Society, , vol. 5(2), pages 185-202, April.
    5. Steven D. Levitt & John A. List, 2007. "What Do Laboratory Experiments Measuring Social Preferences Reveal About the Real World?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 21(2), pages 153-174, Spring.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Passions; Rational-choice explanation; Economics; Intentionality; Individualism.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
    • D89 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Other
    • P17 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Performance and Prospects
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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