Gilboa, Itzhak; Andrew Postlewaite; Larry Samuelson & David Schmeidler (2011) “Economic Models as Analogies”, Penn Institute for Economic Research (PIER) Working Paper no.12-001, Online: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pen:papers:12-001&r=cbe
Abstract: People often wonder why economists analyze models whose assumptions are known to be false, while economists feel that they learn a great deal from such exercises. We suggest that part of the knowledge generated by academic economists is case-based rather than rule-based. That is, instead of offering general rules or theories that should be contrasted with data, economists often analyze models that are “theoretical cases”, which help understand economic problems by drawing analogies between the model and the problem. According to this view, economic models, empirical data, experimental results and other sources of knowledge are all on equal footing, that is, they all provide cases to which a given problem can be compared. We offer some complexity arguments that explain why case-based reasoning may sometimes be the method of choice; why economists prefer simple examples; and why a paradigm may be useful even if it does not produce theories.
Keywords: Methodology, Case-based reasoning
JEL: B40
CFP-ESHET 16th Annual Conference in St Petersburg
The 16th Annual Conference of the European Society for the History of Economic Thought (ESHET) will be held at St. Petersburg State University and St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance (Russia), May 17-19, 2012. (Conference web site: http://eshet2012.ru). Continue reading CFP: ESHET 16th Annual Conference in St Petersburg
Call for Papers: First European Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences Conference (University of Copenhagen, September 21-23, 2012)
http://enposs.eu/2011/11/call-for-papers/
The European Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences (ENPOSS) invites contributions to its inaugural conference. Contributions from all areas within the philosophy of the social sciences are encouraged. Moreover, contributions from both philosophers and social scientists are welcome. Continue reading CFP: European Network for the Philosophy of the Social Sciences Conference
Summer School in History of Economic Thought, Economic Philosophy and Economic History, to take place in Lille (France) in September 2012.
Theme of the morning seminars: “Inequalities, Poverty, Discriminations”
Submission deadline: April, 9, 2012
Download the CFP for the 15th Summer School (PDF)
Call for papers
How to bring joy into economics – Revisiting Tibor Scitovsky (1910-2002)
Angevin-Aragonese Castle, Gaeta (Italy)
26-27 June, 2012 Continue reading CFP: How to bring joy into economics
Call for Papers
Economics and literature: beyond praise and disparagement
Deadline for submission: November 1st , 2012
Planed publication of the issue: 2013
Editors: Estrella Trincado Aznar, Jérôme Lallement
Since the nascent of political economy in 17th century, and even before, literature has been both a place for broadcasting and challenging economic ideas through idealizing fables and pastiches. In turn, economists could borrow from literature some ways to present their own ideas or to criticize alternative doctrines. The purpose of this special issue is to reflect on the transformations of the frontiers between economics and literature: to investigate how literature can reflect economic ideas and arguments and to see how economics and economists have dealt with literary presentations of economic ideas. Continue reading CFP: Economics and literature: beyond praise and disparagement
Fully funded European Research Council (ERC) PhD studentships 2012–16
“Economics in the Public Sphere: USA, UK, France, Poland and Brazil since 1945.”
The Department of History and Philosophy of Science (HPS), University
of Cambridge, invites preliminary applications for two ERC
Postgraduate Research Studentships to start in October 2012. The
studentships will support three years of doctoral research with
funding continuing into a fourth year of thesis writing. The project
is funded by the European Research Council. Continue reading Fully funded European Research Council (ERC) PhD studentships 2012–16
*Video:economic growth full speed
This video is from TRT News (orginal source here). Sign on the car says “Economy” (as you may have guessed). It is supposed to represent the Turkish Economy “growing full speed”. I’ll definitely show this in my Economic Growth courses 
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