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Physics, Biology and Human Faculties: A Structural Stepwise Approach to Modeling Human Behavior

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  • Mousavi, Shabnam
  • Sunder, Shyam

Abstract

Seeking a better understanding of human behavior and social phenomena were the primary pursuits of Richard Day's scholarship, and of the Journal he co-founded and edited. In that pioneering spirit of adventure, we structure approaches to modeling human behavior in three steps with respect to scientific disciplines, their associated principles, and subject matters: human faculties, biology and physics. We note that the extant practice of modeling human behavior in social sciences starts from psycho-sociological features and principles before moving to biological ones, and finally using physical laws for formalization. These formalizations are often presented with the disclaimer: of course, human behavior extends beyond our physical existence. Alternatively, but less often, they are defended in a reductionist spirit. In the present contribution we propose reversing this extant order of deploying scientific principles and argue that this exercise will help link social sciences to biology and physics, without reductionism.

Suggested Citation

  • Mousavi, Shabnam & Sunder, Shyam, 2023. "Physics, Biology and Human Faculties: A Structural Stepwise Approach to Modeling Human Behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 311-321.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:212:y:2023:i:c:p:311-321
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2023.05.029
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shyam Sunder, 2006. "Determinants of Economic Interaction: Behavior or Structure," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 1(1), pages 21-32, May.
    2. Gode, Dhananjay K & Sunder, Shyam, 1993. "Allocative Efficiency of Markets with Zero-Intelligence Traders: Market as a Partial Substitute for Individual Rationality," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(1), pages 119-137, February.
    3. John Conlisk, 1996. "Why Bounded Rationality?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 34(2), pages 669-700, June.
    4. Shyam Sunder & MODELS A, 2002. "Markets as Artifacts: Aggregate Efficiency from Zero-Intelligence Traders," Yale School of Management Working Papers ysm284, Yale School of Management, revised 01 Sep 2004.
    5. Shabnam Mousavi & Shyam Sunder, 2020. "Physics and decisions: an inverted perspective," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 19(2), pages 293-298, November.
    6. Huber, Juergen & Shubik, Martin & Sunder, Shyam, 2010. "Three minimal market institutions with human and algorithmic agents: Theory and experimental evidence," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 403-424, November.
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