180204 SE Modelling in Economics (2021W)
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
REMOTE
Summary
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Tu 14.09.2021 18:15 to Th 16.09.2021 10:00
- Registration is open from Fr 24.09.2021 09:00 to Th 30.09.2021 10:00
- Deregistration possible until Sa 23.10.2021 23:59
Registration information is available for each group.
Groups
Group 1
max. 15 participants
Language: English
LMS: Moodle
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Tuesday 12.10. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 19.10. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 09.11. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 16.11. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 23.11. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 30.11. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 07.12. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 14.12. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 11.01. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 18.01. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 25.01. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
Aims, contents and method of the course
Assessment and permitted materials
Methods:
• short lectures by the instructors
• careful reading and critical discussion of the literature (concepts, themes, arguments)
• question(s) concerning the reading(s) submitted through Moodle, and participation in the Moodle discussion. The questions need to be motivated. Each student needs to submit at least one question, and one response to a question of another student.
• co-chairing the group discussion
• a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay on a specific theme discussed in the course.
• short lectures by the instructors
• careful reading and critical discussion of the literature (concepts, themes, arguments)
• question(s) concerning the reading(s) submitted through Moodle, and participation in the Moodle discussion. The questions need to be motivated. Each student needs to submit at least one question, and one response to a question of another student.
• co-chairing the group discussion
• a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay on a specific theme discussed in the course.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
- active participation (20%),
- questions and online discussion of readings (20%),
- (co-)chairing a class (10%),
- a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay (50%).All aforementioned components of the course have to be fulfilled for the successful completion of the grade.One unexcused absence is permitted.Grading table
1 – (excellent) 90 – 100 points
2 – (good) 81 – 89 points
3 – (satisfactory) 71 – 80 points
4 – (sufficient) 61 – 70 points
5 – (insufficient) 0 – 60 pointsAssessment• careful reading and active discussion of the literature
• questions in the Moodle platform
• active discussion in the Moodle platform
• (co-)chairing group discussion in the class
• a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay
Examination topics
- questions and online discussion of readings (20%),
- (co-)chairing a class (10%),
- a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay (50%).All aforementioned components of the course have to be fulfilled for the successful completion of the grade.One unexcused absence is permitted.Grading table
1 – (excellent) 90 – 100 points
2 – (good) 81 – 89 points
3 – (satisfactory) 71 – 80 points
4 – (sufficient) 61 – 70 points
5 – (insufficient) 0 – 60 pointsAssessment• careful reading and active discussion of the literature
• questions in the Moodle platform
• active discussion in the Moodle platform
• (co-)chairing group discussion in the class
• a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay
Examination topics
Examination topics
Tuesday 12.10.2021: Course introductionTuesday 19.10.2021 (16.45-18:45): An economist’s view on models (16.45-18:45)
Rodrik, Dani. 2016. Economics Rules: The Rights and Wrongs of the Dismal Science. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Chapters 1-2 (pages 13-49)
Tuesday 09.11.2021 (16.45-18:45): Two famous economic modelsAkerlof, George A. 1970. “The Market for 'Lemons': Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism.” Quarterly Journal of Economics. The MIT Press. 84 (3): 488-500.Schelling, Thomas C. 1971 “Dynamic Models of Segregation.” Journal of Mathematical Sociology. 1: 143-86.The course has a final essay in English, to be submitted after the course. The instructions are given in the syllabus, Moodle, and in the class.Tuesday 16.11.2021 (16.45-18:45): Economic models as isolationsCartwright, Nancy. 1999. “The Vanity of Rigour in Economics: Theoretical Models and Galilean Experiments.” Discussion paper series 43/99. Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science.Tuesday 30.11.2021(16.45-18:45): Economic models as credible constructionsPancs, Romans, and Nicolaas J. Vriend. 2007. “Schelling’s Spatial Proximity Model of Segregation Revisited.” Journal of Public Economics 91 (1): 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2006.03.008.Sugden, Robert. 2000. “Credible Worlds: The Status of Theoretical Models in Economics.” Journal of Economic Methodology 7 (1): 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/135017800362220.Tuesday 07.12.2021 (16.45-18:45): Modeling as a theoretical strategyGodfrey-Smith, Peter. 2006. “The Strategy of Model-Based Science.” Biology and Philosophy 21: 725-740.
Tuesday 14.12.2021 (16.45-18:45): Representation and understandingSuárez, Maurizio (2010). “Scientific Representation.” Blackwell’s Philosophy Compass 5 (1): 91-101
Elgin, Catherine Z. 2004. “True enough.” Philosophical Issues, 14: 113–131.Tuesday 11.01.2022 (16.45-18:45): Idealization and de-idealizationWeisberg, Michael. 2007. “Three Kinds of Idealization.” The Journal of Philosophy 104 (12): 639–59. https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil20071041240.
Knuuttila, Tarja, and Mary S. Morgan. 2019. “De-idealization: No Easy Reversals.” Philosophy of Science 86 (4): 641–61. https://doi.org/10.1086/704975.
Tuesday 18.01.2022 (16.45-18:45)
Individual essay presentations (two groups)Tuesday 25.01.2022 (16.45-18:45)
Individual essay presentations (two groups)
Rodrik, Dani. 2016. Economics Rules: The Rights and Wrongs of the Dismal Science. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Chapters 1-2 (pages 13-49)
Tuesday 09.11.2021 (16.45-18:45): Two famous economic modelsAkerlof, George A. 1970. “The Market for 'Lemons': Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism.” Quarterly Journal of Economics. The MIT Press. 84 (3): 488-500.Schelling, Thomas C. 1971 “Dynamic Models of Segregation.” Journal of Mathematical Sociology. 1: 143-86.The course has a final essay in English, to be submitted after the course. The instructions are given in the syllabus, Moodle, and in the class.Tuesday 16.11.2021 (16.45-18:45): Economic models as isolationsCartwright, Nancy. 1999. “The Vanity of Rigour in Economics: Theoretical Models and Galilean Experiments.” Discussion paper series 43/99. Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science.Tuesday 30.11.2021(16.45-18:45): Economic models as credible constructionsPancs, Romans, and Nicolaas J. Vriend. 2007. “Schelling’s Spatial Proximity Model of Segregation Revisited.” Journal of Public Economics 91 (1): 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2006.03.008.Sugden, Robert. 2000. “Credible Worlds: The Status of Theoretical Models in Economics.” Journal of Economic Methodology 7 (1): 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/135017800362220.Tuesday 07.12.2021 (16.45-18:45): Modeling as a theoretical strategyGodfrey-Smith, Peter. 2006. “The Strategy of Model-Based Science.” Biology and Philosophy 21: 725-740.
Tuesday 14.12.2021 (16.45-18:45): Representation and understandingSuárez, Maurizio (2010). “Scientific Representation.” Blackwell’s Philosophy Compass 5 (1): 91-101
Elgin, Catherine Z. 2004. “True enough.” Philosophical Issues, 14: 113–131.Tuesday 11.01.2022 (16.45-18:45): Idealization and de-idealizationWeisberg, Michael. 2007. “Three Kinds of Idealization.” The Journal of Philosophy 104 (12): 639–59. https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil20071041240.
Knuuttila, Tarja, and Mary S. Morgan. 2019. “De-idealization: No Easy Reversals.” Philosophy of Science 86 (4): 641–61. https://doi.org/10.1086/704975.
Tuesday 18.01.2022 (16.45-18:45)
Individual essay presentations (two groups)Tuesday 25.01.2022 (16.45-18:45)
Individual essay presentations (two groups)
Group 2
max. 15 participants
Language: English
LMS: Moodle
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Tuesday 12.10. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 19.10. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 09.11. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 16.11. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 23.11. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 30.11. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 07.12. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 14.12. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 11.01. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 18.01. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
- Tuesday 25.01. 16:45 - 18:45 Digital
Aims, contents and method of the course
An important question in the philosophy of economics is how economic models relate to the world we live in. Clearly, economic models only reflect at best some of the factors that are relevant for the economic systems of interest. This then raises important questions, such as:
• Do economic models provide useful insight on how the economy functions? How do they provide such insights?
• How do economic models represent, explain or predict?
• How can we assess the fruitfulness of economic modeling?
• What is the role of econometrics or experiments in testing economic models?
• To what extent is economics different from other natural and/or social sciences?This course addresses the aforementioned questions, both from the perspectives of economics and philosophy of science. The main goal is to get acquainted with different philosophical and methodological accounts of economic modeling, and use them to get a better understanding of the different roles economic models play.Methods:
• short lectures by the instructors
• careful reading and critical discussion of the literature (concepts, themes, arguments)
• question(s) concerning the reading(s) submitted through Moodle, and participation in the Moodle discussion. The questions need to be motivated. Each student needs to submit at least one question, and one response to a question of another student.
• co-chairing the group discussion
• a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay on a specific theme discussed in the course.
• Do economic models provide useful insight on how the economy functions? How do they provide such insights?
• How do economic models represent, explain or predict?
• How can we assess the fruitfulness of economic modeling?
• What is the role of econometrics or experiments in testing economic models?
• To what extent is economics different from other natural and/or social sciences?This course addresses the aforementioned questions, both from the perspectives of economics and philosophy of science. The main goal is to get acquainted with different philosophical and methodological accounts of economic modeling, and use them to get a better understanding of the different roles economic models play.Methods:
• short lectures by the instructors
• careful reading and critical discussion of the literature (concepts, themes, arguments)
• question(s) concerning the reading(s) submitted through Moodle, and participation in the Moodle discussion. The questions need to be motivated. Each student needs to submit at least one question, and one response to a question of another student.
• co-chairing the group discussion
• a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay on a specific theme discussed in the course.
Assessment and permitted materials
- careful reading and active discussion of the literature
- questions in the Moodle platform
- active discussion in the Moodle platform
- (co-)chairing group discussion in the class
- a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay
- questions in the Moodle platform
- active discussion in the Moodle platform
- (co-)chairing group discussion in the class
- a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
- active participation (20%),
- questions and online discussion of readings (20%),
- (co-)chairing a class (10%),
- a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay (50%).All aforementioned components of the course have to be fulfilled for the successful completion of the grade.One unexcused absence is permitted.Grading table
1 – (excellent) 90 – 100 points
2 – (good) 81 – 89 points
3 – (satisfactory) 71 – 80 points
4 – (sufficient) 61 – 70 points
5 – (insufficient) 0 – 60 points
- questions and online discussion of readings (20%),
- (co-)chairing a class (10%),
- a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay (50%).All aforementioned components of the course have to be fulfilled for the successful completion of the grade.One unexcused absence is permitted.Grading table
1 – (excellent) 90 – 100 points
2 – (good) 81 – 89 points
3 – (satisfactory) 71 – 80 points
4 – (sufficient) 61 – 70 points
5 – (insufficient) 0 – 60 points
Examination topics
The course has a final essay in English, to be submitted after the course. The instructions are given in the syllabus, Moodle, and in the class.
Information
Reading list
Readings and presentations:Readings (19.10.2021 - 11.01.2022)Rodrik, Dani. 2016. Economics Rules: The Rights and Wrongs of the Dismal Science. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Chapters 1-2 (pages 13-49)Akerlof, George A. 1970. “The Market for 'Lemons': Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism.” Quarterly Journal of Economics. The MIT Press. 84 (3): 488-500.Schelling, Thomas C. 1971 “Dynamic Models of Segregation.” Journal of Mathematical Sociology. 1: 143-86.Cartwright, Nancy. 1999. “The Vanity of Rigour in Economics: Theoretical Models and Galilean Experiments.” Discussion paper series 43/99. Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science.Pancs, Romans, and Nicolaas J. Vriend. 2007. “Schelling’s Spatial Proximity Model of Segregation Revisited.” Journal of Public Economics 91 (1): 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2006.03.008.Sugden, Robert. 2000. “Credible Worlds: The Status of Theoretical Models in Economics.” Journal of Economic Methodology 7 (1): 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/135017800362220.Godfrey-Smith, Peter (2006). “The Strategy of Model-Based Science.” Biology and Philosophy 21: 725-740.Suárez, Maurizio (2010). “Scientific Representation.” Blackwell’s Philosophy Compass 5 (1): 91-101Elgin, Catherine Z. (2004). “True enough.” Philosophical Issues, 14: 113–131.Weisberg, Michael. 2007. “Three Kinds of Idealization.” The Journal of Philosophy 104 (12): 639–59. https://doi.org/10.5840/jphil20071041240.Knuuttila, Tarja, and Mary S. Morgan. 2019. “De-idealization: No Easy Reversals.” Philosophy of Science 86 (4): 641–61. https://doi.org/10.1086/704975.Individual presentations (18.01.2022 - 25.01.2022)
Association in the course directory
Last modified: Sa 08.07.2023 00:17
• Do economic models provide useful insight on how the economy functions? How do they provide such insights?
• How do economic models represent, explain or predict?
• How can we assess the fruitfulness of economic modeling?
• What is the role of econometrics or experiments in testing economic models?
• To what extent is economics different from other natural and/or social sciences?This course addresses the aforementioned questions, both from the perspectives of economics and philosophy of science. The main goal is to get acquainted with different philosophical and methodological accounts of economic modeling, and use them to get a better understanding of the different roles economic models play.