ECTS - University of Pisa
Attending this course, students will strengthen their ability to critically evaluate the relevance and reliability of economic research. They will learn how to better use economic models, econometric and experimental tools, with a clear understanding of their limits and possibilities. They will train their ability to develop sound scientific arguments in an economic context.
Frontal lectures + seminar presentations.
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the main topics of economic methodology, linking foundational issues with practical problems that economists face in the confrontation of models with data. The course focuses on the role of models in economics, issues about measurement and confirmation, forms of explanations, interpretations of probability, epistemological issues in statistical and causal inference, rational choice theory, and the methodology of experimental economics. The last part of the course will be devoted to students’ presentations of key papers in economic methodology.
Further readings (articles and lecture notes) will be provided during the course.
Non-attending students will be evaluated based on the rules that apply to attending students who do not take part in the seminar series.
Based on presentations + written exam. Students not attending the seminars are supposed to take an additional oral exam on the topics covered in the seminars. More details on the exam and seminars HERE
Lessons will start on Monday 19/9 and will have the following schedule:
Monday, 08:45 -10:15 (Polo Piagge, F1)
Friday, 08:45 -10:15 (Polo Piagge, F1)
