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ISSN: 1546-9239 (Print)
ISSN: 1554-3641 (Online)
Research Article Open Access

Irrationality in the Neoclassical Definition of Rationality

Steve Keen1
  • 1 University of Western Sydney and Russell Standish, University of New South Wales, United States

Abstract

In this study we are not arguing that competition as it actually occurs in practice is not socially beneficial. Our criticism is directed instead at the false belief that rational profit-maximizing behavior and competition as defined by neoclassical economic theory will lead to a welfare-maximizing outcome-again, as defined by neoclassical theory.

American Journal of Applied Sciences
Volume 2 No. 13, 2005, 61-68

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2005.61.68

Published On: 18 December 2005

How to Cite: Keen, S. (2005). Irrationality in the Neoclassical Definition of Rationality. American Journal of Applied Sciences, 2(13), 61-68. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2005.61.68

Open AccessCopyright: © 2005 Steve Keen. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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Keywords

  • Marshall
  • Cournot-Nash style competitive behavior
  • game theory
  • irrationality
  • complex behavior/dynamics