Homoeopaths and chiropractors are sceptical about immunisation

Sceptical Reflections About Ontology

Ontologies (and Metaphysics) are floating around since Plato and Aristotle. Although these things have often been declared as non-existent, or as outright nonsense and frauds, nevertheless, rigorous, cold-blooded and definite proofs for these unfriendly judgements seem still to be lacking. The adjective sceptical in the title of the present paper is, of course, a polite euphemism. For we can sh...

Why are economists sceptical about agent-based simulations?

Despite many years of active research in the field and a number of fruitful applications, agent-based modeling has not yet made it through to the top ranking economic journals. In this paper we investigate why. We look at the following problematic areas: (i) interpretation of the simulation dynamics and generalization of the results, and (ii) estimation of the simulation model. We show that the...

How Hard Are the Sceptical Paradoxes?

The sceptic about the external world presents us with a paradox: an apparently acceptable argument for an apparently unacceptable conclusion—that we do not know anything about the external world. Some paradoxes, for instance the liar and the sorites, are very hard. The defense of a purported solution to either of these two inevitably deploys the latest in high-tech philosophical weaponry. On th...

Are Concepts About Constipation and Dietary Fiber Changing?

Neuroeconomics: A sceptical view

Neuroeconomics has been hailed by its advocates as affording “ground-breaking” insights into human behaviour and significant theoretical advances through conceptual trading with neuroscience. The prospect of the discovery of the proximate causes of behaviour by measuring thoughts, feelings, and hence utility is, according to neuroeconomists, within reach. Thus, neuroeconomics will permit the co...