Philosophy & Ethics

The concept of homo economicus, a being that simply maximizes utility under constraint, is rooted in a value system that may not, in fact, be universal. Our scholars are exploring the role of philosophy in understanding and forming the underlying assumptions of the neoclassical economic model.

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  1. Can Antitrust Law Rein in Facebook’s Data-Mining Profit Machine?

    By Dina Srinivasan

    Apr 17, 2019

    Facebook engaged in an elaborate bait and switch on user data: Privacy disappeared when competition did. Laws governing competition could change that.

  2. Why Economics Needs a Moral Dimension

    Featuring Rob Johnson and Michael Sandel

    Dec 7, 2018

    Rob Johnson and Michael Sandel discuss the limits of rational choice

  3. To Be a Good Citizen, You Need Not Be Rich

    Featuring Minouche Shafik and Michael Sandel

    Nov 23, 2018

    LSE Director Minouche Shafik says that for democracy to work, we must keep the market out of certain domains

  4. The Limits of the “Rational Economic Man”

    Featuring Greg Mankiw and Michael Sandel

    Nov 30, 2018

    Greg Mankiw says there should be a market for kidneys, but not for paying drug addicts to get sterilized.

  5. Conference paper

    Veiling

    By Jean-Paul Carvalho

    Dec 2017

    Veiling among Muslim women is modeled as a commitment mechanism that limits temptation to deviate from religious norms of behavior. 

  6. Identity Norms and Narratives

    Featuring George Akerlof, Robert Akerlof, and Jean-Paul Carvalho

    Oct 22, 2017 | 03:30

    The Role These Factors Play in Shaping Economic Knowledge and Behavior