Explanation in Economics

Abstract

Discussions in the literature on economic methodology often do not explicitly concern explanation. The goal of this chapter is to show that, often implicitly, some key discussions are best understood as reflecting debates about explanation in economics. Disputes about, for instance, causal inference, idealizations, or microfoundations are debates about whether and how economics (should) explain. Examination of these issues through the prism of explanation sheds light on what is actually at stake and may help us progress on the route to solving them.

Philippe Verreault-Julien

Postdoctoral Researcher

Philosopher working on the ethics, epistemology, governance, and safety of artificial intelligence systems.