CRITICISM OF ECONOMIC RATIONALISM: HERBERT SIMON'S BOUNDED RATIONALISM ANALYSIS

Öz

Rationality emerges as a concept not only confined to economic dimensions but also encompassing philosophical, social, and psychological aspects. Therefore, a wide array of perspectives on rationality exists. One of these perspectives is the traditional economic approach, which presents rationality as an immutable assumption based on personal gain. The approach of full rationality has faced numerous criticisms. One such critique is the proposition of bounded rationality against full rationality, as advocated by Herbert Simon. Simon, in contrast to the classical economic view that summarizes utility as primarily reaching goals, evaluates decision-making as a process influenced by various external and internal factors rather than being solely at the disposal of an individual possessing complete information. Consequently, human decisions are viewed not as entirely optimal but rather as reaching a level of satisfaction that suffices to cease further exploration and evaluation. In contrast to the approach of full rationality, the satisfaction derived from individuals' choices stems not only from the fulfillment of personal interests but also encompasses the decision-maker's beliefs, social, and individual satisfaction. Despite Simon's research method being straightforward and transparent, it appears that the implications of his theory outweigh its methodology. If the cornerstone of economic theory, full rationality, fails to align with reality, it can be inferred that the traditional economic theory lacks the capability to offer practical solutions for understanding society and addressing its issues. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the concept of rationality not only from an economic standpoint but also from philosophical, social, and psychological perspectives, while emphasizing alternative theories of human behavior.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Economic Rationality
• Herbert Simon
• Rational Choice Theory
• Rational Behavior
• Rationality

EKONOMİK RASYONELLİĞİN ELEŞTİRİSİ: HERBERT SİMON’UN SINIRLI RASYONELLİK ANALİZİ

Öz

Rasyonalite, sadece ekonomik açıdan değil, aynı zamanda felsefi, sosyal ve psikolojik boyutlara da sahip bir kavram olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Bu nedenle rasyonellik konusunda çok çeşitli görüşlerle karşılaşılmaktadır. Bu görüşlerden biri de rasyonelliği kişisel çıkara dayalı değişmez bir varsayım olarak gösteren geleneksel iktisat yaklaşımıdır. Tam rasyonellik yaklaşımına birçok eleştiri yapılmıştır. Bu eleştirilerden biri de Herbert Simon'un önerdiği tam rasyonelliğe karşı sınırlı rasyonelliktir. Klasik iktisadın, faydanın temelde hedefe ulaşmada özetlendiği tam rasyonellik yaklaşımını eleştiren Simon, karar sürecini, tamamen bilgiye sahip bir kişinin tasarrufunda olan bir süreç değil, dışsal ve içsel çeşitli faktörlerin etkisi altında olan bir süreç olarak değerlendirmektedir. Sonuçta insanın verdiği karar tamamen optimal bir karar değil, aksine onu araştırmayı ve değerlendirmeyi bırakacak belli bir tatmin düzeyine getiren bir karar olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Tam rasyonellik yaklaşımının aksine, bireyin yapılan seçimden duyduğu tatmin, kişisel menfaatin tam olarak gerçekleşmesinden kaynaklanan tek fayda değildir; aynı zamanda karar vericinin inancını, sosyal ve bireysel tatminini de takip etmektedir. Simon'un araştırma yöntemi basit ve açık olmasına rağmen, görünen o ki bu teorinin sonucu, yönteminden daha çok önem arz etmektedir. İktisat teorisinin temel taşı olarak kabul edilen tam rasyonellik gerçeklikle örtüşemiyorsa, geleneksel iktisat teorisinin toplumu anlama ve toplumun sorunlarına çözüm üretecek pratik öneriler sunma yeteneğine sahip olmadığı sonucuna ulaşılabilinmektedir. Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, rasyonalite kavramının sadece ekonomik boyutta değil, aynı zamanda felsefi, sosyal ve psikolojik açılardan da incelenerek, bu çeşitli bakış açılarıyla karşılaşılmasının araştırılmasının yanı sıra insan davranışlarının alternatif teorilerine vurgu yapmaktır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ekonomik Rasyonellik
• Herbert Simon
• Rasyonel Seçim Teorisi
• Rasyonel Davranış
• Rasyonellik

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