Marxism, functionalism, and game theory: a case for methodological individualism

Methodological Individualism and Marx:Some Remarks on Jon Elster, Game Theory, and Other Things

Canadian Journal of Philosophy ◽

10.1080/00455091.1990.10716501 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 469-486 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Robert Paul Wolff

Keyword(s):

Game Theory ◽

Karl Marx ◽

Analytic Philosophy ◽

Methodological Individualism ◽

Anglo American

In recent years, philosophers trained in the techniques and constrained by the style of what is known in the Anglo-American world as ‘analytic philosophy’ have in growing numbers undertaken to include within their methodological ambit the theories and insights of Karl Marx.

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The game-theoretic innocence of experimental behavioral psychology

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x01484147 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 426-427

Author(s):

Don Ross

Keyword(s):

Game Theory ◽

Experimental Economics ◽

Methodological Individualism ◽

Disciplinary Culture ◽

Behavioral Psychology ◽

Game Theoretic ◽

Methodological Principles

Hertwig and Ortmann imply that failure of many behavioral psychologists to observe several central methodological principles of experimental economics derives mainly from differences in disciplinary culture. I suggest that there are deeper philosophical causes, based (ironically) on a legacy of methodological individualism in psychology from which economists have substantially cured themselves through use of game theory. Psychologists often misidentify their objects of study by trying to wrench subjects out of their normal behavioral contexts in games.

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