HOMO-ECONOMICUS IN PERSPECTIVE

We are concerned about the growing body of critical literature against the use of neoclassical economics (NCE) in geography. Examples in this literature share important characteristics, namely, a concern about the philosophy of science, a scepticism about the utility of mathematical modelling, and an aversion to homo economicus. Since these subjects are often misunderstood, we first provide brief reviews. We then use this background to examine in detail a representative example of the critical literature (Barnes 1987). We believe that our conclusions extend to a significant part of that literature.