Economics as a Science of the Human Mind and Interaction

Abstract

In understanding economics and the organisation of economics, the\rquestions are what constitute economics and the thinking behind economics\rtoday? In short what is the field of economics? And in what ways can we connect\rto and understand this field of study? Of course, the answer to this depends\rupon the perspective chosen, in which one sees and thinks of economics from a\rparticular philosophical and even political position and perspective. If one\rtakes the perspective on economics from a qualitative paradigm that draws upon\rthe tradition from Kant, Husserl, Simmel, Mead, Schutz, Blumer (see\rreferences), then it can be stated that economics cannot only be understood as\rsomething that appears in nature. On the contrary, economics must be understood\ras “something” which results from human behaviour, interaction and groups in\rhuman activities and the thinking involved and embedded in those activities.\rTherefore in analyzing economics it is significant to note that economics\rbelongs to and is being constructed by people due to their everyday lives. What\rappears as central in those statements, from a qualitative perspective, is that\rthe essences of economics have to be discussed in relation to the mind and\rthinking related to an understanding of individual and group societal\ractivities. Economics is to be understood as constructed and maintained through\reveryday human interactions and exchanges, whereby people are creating the\rmeanings of situations with objectives of what are believed as important in the\runderstanding of economics activities, actions and results. Those meanings and\rdefinitions of economics are being produced and exchanged in order to become a\rnew comprehensive framework that influences, co-produces, limits and creates\rcontradictions in everyday economic life. This additional qualitative focus [1] outlines the importance of understanding how\rhuman cognitions produce meaning of objects, definitions, activities and\ractions which provides the framework for the field of economics. The\repistemological perspective for this is that the objects are not only within\rthemselves. No, instead the objects are as they presents themselves to people,\rand thereby the meanings we are constructing and attaching to them. The paper\rwill therefore discuss some of the scientific complexities in three areas: mind\rand thinking; understanding economics as a social activity and construction,\rand the interplay between economic activities and economic theoretical work.