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Six Blind Men and the Economics-Elephant: Why Computational Power Cannot Cure Methodological Blindness

Author

Listed:
  • Tomasz Kopczewski

    (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences)

  • Iana Okhrimenko

    (Lazarski University in Warsaw, Department of Econometrics)

  • Jan Lisicki

    (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences)

Abstract

Economics rewards precision, but precision within a model does not establish what a result means, whether the represented object is economically admissible, or whether the conclusion travels to the world. This methodological essay builds a classroom prank on the Indian parable of the blind men and the elephant. Students solve slightly different calibrations of a two-sector Leontief model, reduce the answers to policy signs and vote; every system is solvable, yet thirty of the hundred coefficient pairs fail the Hawkins–Simon productivity condition. Six blind men extend the lesson to calculation, point equilibrium, binary inference, identification, aggregation and computational dynamics. In each case the well-behaved statistic is not the one that answers the economic question, and its good behaviour is what makes it persuasive. Artificial intelligence lowers the cost of building alternative models towards zero; the scarce input is the disposition to ask what a successful result is not showing.

Suggested Citation

  • Tomasz Kopczewski & Iana Okhrimenko & Jan Lisicki, 2026. "Six Blind Men and the Economics-Elephant: Why Computational Power Cannot Cure Methodological Blindness," Working Papers 2026-39, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    • Handle: RePEc:war:wpaper:2026-39
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
    • C12 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Hypothesis Testing: General
    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques
    • C67 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Input-Output Models
    • D51 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Exchange and Production Economies

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