What is economic philosophy?

Theories at the intersection between economics, philosophy, sociology and politics. Economic philosophy means transdisciplinary research that not only integrates economics and philosophy but also other fields of knowledge (sociological, ethnological, historical, etc.). The aim is to examine the content, terminology and methods of economics from a philosophical perspective. However, we critically examine previous philosophical perspectives of economics as well. Economic philosophy creates new insights by discussing issues that are not considered by and are excluded from the fields of economics and philosophy.

Close co-operation with:

Witten Institute for Institutional Change (WIWA) / Faculty of Management, Economics and Society

Institut für Wirtschaftsgestaltung (Institute for economic planning)

German Research Foundation, Research Training Group 'Power of Interpretation', University of Rostock

Our teaching activities focus on issues concerning philosophy, institutional economics and economic philosophy as well as on political economics and the history of economic theory, including:

• History of economic theory from ancient to modern times
• Time and economics
• Growth narratives in economics and other sciences
• Economic philosophy on the basis of selected topics and authors
• Issues of economics and social development concerning the future
• Alternative economic theories
• Economics and religion
• Guilt and debts in western tradition to date

Our seminars comprise the preparation of the respective course material, discussions and the forming of one’s own opinion. Students learn to elaborate complex theories and critical analyses as well as how to approach subjects and theories in a transdisciplinary way. Moreover, we aim to provide a first or deeper insight into thinking in economic and philosophical terms.

For a deeper insight into research and teaching visit www.priddat.de

Examples of current research topics:

• Time and economics
• (Expectation, fiction, imagination. Narratives in economics)
• Reconstruction of economics in ancient times
• Research on growth narratives
• Transaction field theory. An alternative to economics
• Economics and literature
• Consumption theory: History and current market cultures

Here is a complete list of research projects and publications.

Here are selected book publications.

Here are current doctoral theses.

Professor Dr. Birger P. Priddat holds the Professorship of Economic Philosophy since 1 January 2017 and is former holder of the Chair of Economics and Philosophy. For further information, please visit: www.priddat.de/biographie/

• Dr. Till Wagner, research assistant, Forschungsprojekt: Fundamentals of a narratological enterprise typology, tk.wagner@gmx.de
• Philip Kovce, research assistant, research project: History of basic income theory, philip.kovce@hu-berlin.de
• Dr. Wolf Dieter Enkelmann, research assistant, research project: Economic philosophy, wd.enkelmann@ifw01.de
• Dr.  Lars Immerthal, research assistant, research project: Digital transformation, Lars.Immerthal@gmx.de