Volume XVIII

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1. Cultural Economics and Economic Epistemology: some Preliminary Considerations

Alain Herscovici.

The works carried out in the 1980s and 1990s in Cultural Economics were premonitory in the sense that they raised problems that are relevant to question, from an epistemological perspective, the hardcore of the main theoretical matrices, and to analyze the evolutions of current capitalism, especially with respect to the different types of intangible capital and the growing financialization of economies. In this article, I do not intend to analyze in detail the main theoretical debates that characterize the development of economic science. My aim, which is much more modest, is to show to what extent what has been considered to be the specificities of Cultural Economics allows us to contribute to these theoretical debates. In a first part, I will explain the mechanisms that characterize the Cultural Economics, and show how, and to what extent, this economy allows refuting the substantial hypothesis used by the main theoretical matrices. In a second part, I will show to what extent the Cultural Economics implies the introduction of Historicity in economic analysis, and thus contributes to the main epistemological debates that have arisen in Economic Science.

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2. Bernard Mandeville ou la mauvaise conscience de l'économie politique

Jean Cartelier.

Beyond the contradictory appreciations of Mandeville famous book, condemned and misinterpreted at the time of its publication, repressed later, Fable of the bees is more relevant today than ever. The two founding acts of modern political economy—namely progressive emancipation of moral since 13th century and Smith’s value theory in the 18th century—are invalidated by the apparent paradoxes presented in Fable of the bees. This double denial of a political economy which was yet to come is what makes Mandeville so subversive nowadays.

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3. The role of ethical consumption in promoting democratic sustainability: revisiting neoclassical economics through Kantian ethics: Revisiting neoclassical economics through Kantian ethics

Pascal Stiefenhofer.

This paper examines the intersection of philosophical ethics and economic theory through the lens of ethical consumption, proposing its transformative potential to steer democratic governance toward sustainability. As awareness of environmental and social imperatives deepens, the demand for ethically produced and environmentally responsible products disrupts traditional economic paradigms focused on utility maximization and market efficiency. This shift, driven by increased transparency, equity concerns, and a commitment to values-based consumption, prompts a critical reassessment of foundational economic assumptions.Conventional neoclassical models, with their emphasis on rational agents and market equilibrium, often neglect crucial elements of sustainability, including ecological integrity, social justice, and intergenerational ethics. In contrast, a democracy rooted in sustainability prioritizes ethical imperatives, long-term accountability, and equitable policies to foster a just future. This paper contrasts the neoclassical, market-centred approach with the growing influence of ethical consumers who prioritize sustainability and moral responsibility over sheer utility, arguing that embedding these ethical dimensions into economic frameworks is essential for creating a consumption paradigm grounded in inclusivity and ethical responsibility.Drawing from White’s Kantian-economic model of decision making (2011) and Inglehart’s theory of intergenerational value […]

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4. Ethics and Ends in Economic Definition

Laera Rodrigo.

Robbins’ influential definition of economics as the science that studies human behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means that have alternative uses has been widely adopted in economics textbooks. However, this definition reflects a teleological commitment that warrants further examination. This paper analyzes the teleological underpinnings of Robbins’ definition and argues for reincorporating ethical considerations about the desirability of different ends into economic analysis. To address this issue, the teleological character of Robbins’ definition will be examined first, which focuses on the means and takes the ends as given, in contrast to two historical conceptions of economics: as the study of wealth and as the science of exchange (catallactics). Subsequently, the paper will focus on homo economicus, the agent responsible for the execution of the means and who makes himself up as a teleological subject. Finally, the idea of how ethics can be integrated into a definition of economics will be presented.

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