What to Do about Preference Change? Lessons from “Philosophy, Politics and Economics”

This paper argues that preference change represents a “blind spot” for economics. It qualifies as such because preference change creates significant challenges for both explanation and prescription in economics, and yet it has been largely ignored. This paper sets out those challenges and an answer to the problem of preference change that involves drawing on philosophy and politics. In short, the paper makes, in effect, an argument for locating economics in the disciplinary assemblage of Philosophy, Politics and Economics.