The unity of science and the disunity of economics

Abstract

AbstractIn the article, we propose a general theoretical framework to distinguish a set of possible options for integration between social sciences. Adopting the so-called ‘nation’ metaphor in order to investigate relationships between disciplines, the framework uses an analogy with Dani Rodrik’s ‘world political trilemma’ (whereby democracy—here self-determination of science—national sovereignty—here disciplines—and global economic integration—here disciplinary integration—are mutually incompatible) to distinguish three different roads to the realisation of the unity of social science (‘reductionism’, ‘integration’ and ‘complexity’). The framework is then applied to recent proposals for unifying the social sciences that have originated within the economics profession at a time of pervasive specialisation and increasing fragmentation. While discussing the origins, the feasibility and the desirability of disciplinary integration projects, we concentrate on the issue of pluralism in both social sciences and within economics and on the ‘structural’ conditions that would permit economics to participate in the development of a transdisciplinary behavioural science.