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When Elinor Ostrom Meets Herbert A. Simon: The Sciences of the Artificial as a Methodological Guide "To Deal with Complexity"

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Abstract

In this paper, we aim to shed new light on the methodology that Elinor Ostrom used to study real institutional situations by analyzing the specific theoretical influences that led her to mobilize the notion of complexity. We show the hitherto neglected decisive influence on her work of the "sciences of the artificial", a term coined by the political scientist, economist and precursor of systems thinking, Herbert A. Simon. On several occasions, Ostrom described Simon's book The Sciences of the Artificial as the precursor of a new methodology upon which she relied to understand the most complex system of all: human society. We thus demonstrate that the systems-engineering approach, in particular as established by Simon, played a greater role in Ostrom's work than is usually assumed. This way, we expect to provide a more precise understanding of the notion of complexity she used and the methodological choices that resulted from it. In so doing, we also illustrate how an interdisciplinary approach based on the notion of complexity can concretely be used in institutional economics

Suggested Citation

  • Massimo Cervesato, 2025. "When Elinor Ostrom Meets Herbert A. Simon: The Sciences of the Artificial as a Methodological Guide "To Deal with Complexity"," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 25007, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    • Handle: RePEc:mse:cesdoc:25007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Adrien Peneranda, 2012. "Du public aux commons regards croisés sur Ostrom et Simon," Post-Print hal-01322924, HAL.
    2. Elinor Ostrom, 1986. "An agenda for the study of institutions," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 3-25, January.
    3. Lewis, Paul & Petersen, Matias, 2023. "Elinor Ostrom on choice, collective action and rationality: a Senian analysis," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(6), pages 852-867, December.
    4. Frischmann, Brett M., 2013. "Two enduring lessons from Elinor Ostrom," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(4), pages 387-406, December.
    5. Roberta Herzberg, 2015. "Governing their commons: Elinor and Vincent Ostrom and the Bloomington School," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 95-109, April.
    6. Vincent Ostrom & Elinor Ostrom, 1965. "A Behavioral Approach to the Study of Intergovernmental Relations," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 359(1), pages 137-146, May.
    7. Elinor Ostrom & Vincent Ostrom, 2004. "The Quest for Meaning in Public Choice," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(1), pages 105-147, January.
    8. Lewis, Paul & Aligica, Paul Dragos, 2024. "The Ostroms on self-governance: the importance of cybernetics," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20, pages 1-1, January.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ostrom (Elinor); complexity; Economic Methodology; Simon (Herbert A.); Systems Science; Institutional Analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B25 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Austrian; Stockholm School
    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals
    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;

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