The promise and limitations of rational choice theory

Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society 9 (1-2):95-106 (1995)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Pathologies of Rational Choice Theory is a valuable survey and critique of research in the rational choice tradition, but one that slights that tradition's past and potential contributions to the study of politics. The authors rightly note limitations of rational choice theory but understate what it has to offer political scientists, for they fail to focus clearly on its essentials; adopt too narrow a basis for evaluating scholarship; and wrongly identify rational choice theory with the shortcomings of some scholarship that makes use of it.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,221

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Rational choice theory as social physics.James Bernard Murphy - 1995 - Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society 9 (1-2):155-174.
Pathologies revisited: Reflections on our critics.Donald P. Green & Ian Shapiro - 1995 - Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society 9 (1-2):235-276.
A response to the critique of rational choice theory: Lakatos' and Laudan's conceptions applied.Kaisa Herne & Maija Setälä - 2004 - Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 47 (1):67 – 85.
The problem of rational theory-choice.Howard Sankey - 1995 - Epistemologia 18 (2):299-312.
Statistical political philosphy and positive political theory.Kenneth A. Shepsle - 1995 - Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society 9 (1-2):213-222.
What rational choice explains.Robert E. Lane - 1995 - Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society 9 (1-2):107-126.
Rational Choice Virtues.Bruno Verbeek - 2010 - Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 13 (5):541-559.
Battering RAMs.Michael Taylor - 1995 - Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society 9 (1-2):223-234.
Rational choice theory in sociology.Robert J. Holton - 1995 - Critical Review: A Journal of Politics and Society 9 (4):519-537.
Rational Choice and Moral Theory.Edward F. McClennen - 2010 - Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 13 (5):521-540.

Analytics

Added to PP
2011-10-18

Downloads
105 (#153,240)

6 months
7 (#174,778)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

Books in Review.Kristen Renwick Monroe - 1997 - Political Theory 25 (2):289-295.

Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references