Language games of reciprocity

Bart Wilson

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2008, vol. 68, issue 2, 365-377

Abstract: This paper attempts to explicate the meaning of reciprocate in economics. I first show using innate universal concepts that the definition of reciprocate appears to be circular. This circularity problem vanishes, however, when the context of the interaction is introduced as the inextricable link between the act of reciprocating and the intention to reciprocate. Applying Wittgenstein's concept of a language game, I also discuss the claim that social preferences have no agency. Rather, it is an individual's observable action that constitutes agency in reciprocity. My thesis is that social preferences emanate from the actions of social individuals and not vice versa.

Keywords: Semantics; of; economics; Rhetoric; of; economics; Experimental; economics; Reciprocity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:68:y:2008:i:2:p:365-377

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