The confused state of complexity economics: an ontological explanation

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XXXIX Reunión Anual de la Asoc. Argentina de Economía Política; 2004

Asociación Argentina de Economía Política

?Complexity? ideas are thriving in economics. However, a careful reflection on the economic literature on complexity reveals various prima facie problematic features, such as: a) the coexistence of multiple complexity conceptions, b) economists alternating between treating complexity as a feature of the economy or as a feature of economic models, and c) the unclear status of complexity economics as an orthodox/heterodox project. This paper is a methodological reflection on complexity economics; essentially, Lawson?s ontic/theoretic distinction is recalled to show that the problematic features noted above are easily explained once the ontological dimension of complexity is brought into the picture.