Rationality, Rules and Institutions
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims at
- introducing students to the fundamental principles of rational choice theory for the analysis of institutions;
- providing knowledge of the main issues discussed in contemporary philosophy of the social sciences, with particular emphasis on social ontology
- introducing students to the fundamental principles of rational choice theory for the analysis of institutions;
- providing knowledge of the main issues discussed in contemporary philosophy of the social sciences, with particular emphasis on social ontology
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the students will have acquired
- some basic skills in the formation and use of scientific concepts and theories;
- the capacity to understand the theories that philosophers, psychologists, biologists and economists have put forward to explain the emergence of institutions;
- knowledge of the cognitive skills that allow human beings to engage in coordination and cooperation, on a scale of complexity that is unknown in the natural world;
- the ability to analyse and critically assess the main arguments brought in favour and against different views concerning the nature and functions of institutions, and the emergence of cooperation;
- the capacity to identify the ways in which these debates may be resolved, and how their solutions may contribute to scientific progress and understanding;
- the capacity to present the main arguments independently, satisfying the main requirements of scholarly writing.
- some basic skills in the formation and use of scientific concepts and theories;
- the capacity to understand the theories that philosophers, psychologists, biologists and economists have put forward to explain the emergence of institutions;
- knowledge of the cognitive skills that allow human beings to engage in coordination and cooperation, on a scale of complexity that is unknown in the natural world;
- the ability to analyse and critically assess the main arguments brought in favour and against different views concerning the nature and functions of institutions, and the emergence of cooperation;
- the capacity to identify the ways in which these debates may be resolved, and how their solutions may contribute to scientific progress and understanding;
- the capacity to present the main arguments independently, satisfying the main requirements of scholarly writing.
Lesson period: Second trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second trimester
Course syllabus
This unit is devoted to foundational debates in social ontology, focusing on the nature of institutions. Students will understand the theories that philosophers, psychologists and economists have put forward to analyse institutions and explain their emergence. They will also learn about the cognitive capacities which allow human beings to engage in coordination and cooperation. Students will understand and critically assess the main arguments in favour and against the views presented in the literature, with the aim of identifying the ways in which debates in the foundations of social science may be resolved.
PART 1 (weeks 1-7)
1. Individualism and rational choice
* Weber, M. (1921) "The Interpretive Understanding of Social Action", in Readings in the Philosophy of the Social Sciences, edited by M. Brodbeck. Macmillan, pp. 19-33. [in ariel]
* Angner, E. (2012) A Course in Behavioral Economics, Ch. 2 ("Rational Choice Under Certainty"), Palgrave-McMillan. [ariel]
- Zahle, J., & Kincaid, H. (2019) "Why Be a Methodological Individualist?", Synthese, 196: 655-675. [library]
2. Games
* Guala, F. (2016) Understanding Institutions, Princeton University Press, Ch. 1-2 [ariel]
3. Dilemmas of cooperation
* Peterson, M. (ed. 2015) The Prisoner's Dilemma. Cambridge University Press (Introduction). [ariel, library]
* Handout on Repeated Games [ariel].
- Kuhn, S. (2019) "Prisoner's Dilemma", Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/prisoner-dilemma/ [online]
4. Coordination and convention
* Lewis, D. (1969) Convention. Blackwell, selected paragraphs from Chs. 1 and 2. [S&G, ariel, library]
- Schelling, T. C. (1957) "Bargaining, Communication, and Limited War", Conflict Resolution 1, 19-36. [library]
5. Unfair conventions
* O'Connor, C. (2019) The Origins of Unfairness, Oxford University Press, Ch. 2 ("Social Categories, Coordination, and Inequity") [ariel]
- Cudd, A. E. (1994). "Oppression by Choice", Journal of Social Philosophy 25, 22-44 [online].
6. Social norms
* Bicchieri, C. (2006) The Grammar of Society, Cambridge University Press, Ch. 1 ("The rules we live by"). [S&G, ariel]
- Camerer, C. F., & Fehr, E. (2004) "Measuring social norms and preferences using experimental games: A guide for social scientists", in J. Henrich et al (eds.) Foundations of Human Sociality, Oxford University Press. [There are various pre-print versions online, e.g. http://www.econ.uzh.ch/static/wp_iew/iewwp097.pdf]
- Kölle, F. & Quercia, S. (2021) "The Influence of Empirical and Normative Expectations on Cooperation", Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 190: 691-703 [library]
7. Groups
* Okasha, S., (2013) "Biological Altruism", Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2013/entries/altruism-biological/ [online]
- Sterelny, K. (2021). "The origins of multi-level society". Topoi, 40(1), 207-220. [library]
- Dubreuil, B. (2008). "Strong reciprocity and the emergence of large-scale societies". Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 38(2), 192-210. [library]
- Harwick, C. (2018). "Money and its institutional substitutes: the role of exchange institutions in human cooperation". Journal of Institutional Economics, 14, 689-714. [online]
9. Collective intentionality
* Gilbert, M. (1990) "Walking Together: A Paradigmatic Social Phenomenon", Midwest Studies in Philosophy 15: pp. 1-14. [ariel, online]
- Gold, N. & Sugden, R. (2007) "Theories of Team Agency", in F. Peter & H.B. Schmidt (eds.) Rationality and Commitment, Oxford University Press. [online]
- Gilbert, M. (2006) "Rationality in Collective Action", Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 36: 3-17. [library]
10. Constitutive rules
* Searle, J. (2005) "What Is an Institution?", Journal of Institutional Economics 1: 1-22 [online].
- Searle, J. (1990) "Collective Intentions and Actions." In Intentions in Communication, edited by P. Cohen, J. Morgan, and M. E. Pollack. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, pp. 401-415. [ariel, free online].
- Smit, J. P., Buekens, F., and du Plessis, S. (2011) "What is Money? An Alternative to Searle's Institutional Facts." Economics and Philosophy 27: 1-22. [library]
11. Rules and equilibria
- * Guala, F. and Hindriks, F. (2015) "A Unified Social Ontology", Philosophical Quarterly 165 (2015): 177-201. [library]
- - Searle, J. R. (2015) "Status Functions and Institutional Facts: Reply to Hindriks and Guala." Journal of Institutional Economics 11: 507-514. [library]
- Hindriks, F., & Guala, F. (2015) "Understanding Institutions: Replies to Aoki, Binmore, Hodgson, Searle, Smith, and Sugden". Journal of Institutional Economics 11: 515-22. [library]
12. Commitment
- * Michael, J (2022) The Philosophy and Psychology of Commitment, Routledge (Ch. 1-2) [online]
13. A Comparative Perspective:
Norms and institutions among non-human animals? (Reading TBD)
PART 2 (weeks 8-10)
The second part of the module will be devoted to group work and presentations. Using the concepts and theories acquired in Part 1, we shall address a hot topic in contemporary societies: What is the institution of marriage? Should it be limited to heterosexual couples or should it become more inclusive? Is marriage an outdated institution and should we do without it?
PART 1 (weeks 1-7)
1. Individualism and rational choice
* Weber, M. (1921) "The Interpretive Understanding of Social Action", in Readings in the Philosophy of the Social Sciences, edited by M. Brodbeck. Macmillan, pp. 19-33. [in ariel]
* Angner, E. (2012) A Course in Behavioral Economics, Ch. 2 ("Rational Choice Under Certainty"), Palgrave-McMillan. [ariel]
- Zahle, J., & Kincaid, H. (2019) "Why Be a Methodological Individualist?", Synthese, 196: 655-675. [library]
2. Games
* Guala, F. (2016) Understanding Institutions, Princeton University Press, Ch. 1-2 [ariel]
3. Dilemmas of cooperation
* Peterson, M. (ed. 2015) The Prisoner's Dilemma. Cambridge University Press (Introduction). [ariel, library]
* Handout on Repeated Games [ariel].
- Kuhn, S. (2019) "Prisoner's Dilemma", Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/prisoner-dilemma/ [online]
4. Coordination and convention
* Lewis, D. (1969) Convention. Blackwell, selected paragraphs from Chs. 1 and 2. [S&G, ariel, library]
- Schelling, T. C. (1957) "Bargaining, Communication, and Limited War", Conflict Resolution 1, 19-36. [library]
5. Unfair conventions
* O'Connor, C. (2019) The Origins of Unfairness, Oxford University Press, Ch. 2 ("Social Categories, Coordination, and Inequity") [ariel]
- Cudd, A. E. (1994). "Oppression by Choice", Journal of Social Philosophy 25, 22-44 [online].
6. Social norms
* Bicchieri, C. (2006) The Grammar of Society, Cambridge University Press, Ch. 1 ("The rules we live by"). [S&G, ariel]
- Camerer, C. F., & Fehr, E. (2004) "Measuring social norms and preferences using experimental games: A guide for social scientists", in J. Henrich et al (eds.) Foundations of Human Sociality, Oxford University Press. [There are various pre-print versions online, e.g. http://www.econ.uzh.ch/static/wp_iew/iewwp097.pdf]
- Kölle, F. & Quercia, S. (2021) "The Influence of Empirical and Normative Expectations on Cooperation", Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 190: 691-703 [library]
7. Groups
* Okasha, S., (2013) "Biological Altruism", Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2013/entries/altruism-biological/ [online]
- Sterelny, K. (2021). "The origins of multi-level society". Topoi, 40(1), 207-220. [library]
- Dubreuil, B. (2008). "Strong reciprocity and the emergence of large-scale societies". Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 38(2), 192-210. [library]
- Harwick, C. (2018). "Money and its institutional substitutes: the role of exchange institutions in human cooperation". Journal of Institutional Economics, 14, 689-714. [online]
9. Collective intentionality
* Gilbert, M. (1990) "Walking Together: A Paradigmatic Social Phenomenon", Midwest Studies in Philosophy 15: pp. 1-14. [ariel, online]
- Gold, N. & Sugden, R. (2007) "Theories of Team Agency", in F. Peter & H.B. Schmidt (eds.) Rationality and Commitment, Oxford University Press. [online]
- Gilbert, M. (2006) "Rationality in Collective Action", Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 36: 3-17. [library]
10. Constitutive rules
* Searle, J. (2005) "What Is an Institution?", Journal of Institutional Economics 1: 1-22 [online].
- Searle, J. (1990) "Collective Intentions and Actions." In Intentions in Communication, edited by P. Cohen, J. Morgan, and M. E. Pollack. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, pp. 401-415. [ariel, free online].
- Smit, J. P., Buekens, F., and du Plessis, S. (2011) "What is Money? An Alternative to Searle's Institutional Facts." Economics and Philosophy 27: 1-22. [library]
11. Rules and equilibria
- * Guala, F. and Hindriks, F. (2015) "A Unified Social Ontology", Philosophical Quarterly 165 (2015): 177-201. [library]
- - Searle, J. R. (2015) "Status Functions and Institutional Facts: Reply to Hindriks and Guala." Journal of Institutional Economics 11: 507-514. [library]
- Hindriks, F., & Guala, F. (2015) "Understanding Institutions: Replies to Aoki, Binmore, Hodgson, Searle, Smith, and Sugden". Journal of Institutional Economics 11: 515-22. [library]
12. Commitment
- * Michael, J (2022) The Philosophy and Psychology of Commitment, Routledge (Ch. 1-2) [online]
13. A Comparative Perspective:
Norms and institutions among non-human animals? (Reading TBD)
PART 2 (weeks 8-10)
The second part of the module will be devoted to group work and presentations. Using the concepts and theories acquired in Part 1, we shall address a hot topic in contemporary societies: What is the institution of marriage? Should it be limited to heterosexual couples or should it become more inclusive? Is marriage an outdated institution and should we do without it?
Prerequisites for admission
B2 English
Teaching methods
Lectures
Debate and discussion
Debate and discussion
Teaching Resources
Textbooks and anthologies (NON compulsory):
There are several excellent textbooks of philosophy of social science, which do not cover all the topics of this module, but which may be useful as background readings and bibliographic resources:
· Risjord, M. (2014) Philosophy of Social Science: A Contemporary Introduction. Routledge.
· Rosenberg, A. (2012) Philosophy of Social Science. Westview/Routledge, 4th edition.
These anthologies collect classic papers:
· Steel, D. & Guala, F. (eds. 2011) The Philosophy of Social Science Reader. Routledge. [S&G]
· Martin, M. and McIntyre, L. (eds. 1994) Readings in the Philosophy of Social Science. MIT Press. [M&M]
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (https://plato.stanford.edu/) is another valuable resource for background material, see for example the entries on "Methodological Individualism", "Instrumental Rationality", "Social Norms", "Convention", "Evolutionary Game Theory", "Biological Altruism", "Social Ontology", "Social Institutions", "Collective Intentionality", and more.
Finally, you may also find these handbooks useful:
· Jarvie, I. and Zamora Bonilla, J. (eds. 2011) The Sage Handbook of the Philosophy of Social Sciences. London: Sage.
· Kincaid, H. (ed. 2012) The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Social Science. Oxford University Press.
· Cartwright, N. & Montuschi, E. (eds. 2014) Philosophy of Social Science. Oxford University Press.
Part 2
Girgis, S., George, R. P., & Anderson, R. T. (2011). "What Is Marriage". Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, 34, 245-88. [online]
Gallagher, M. (2009). "Prepared Statement of Maggie Gallagher". Drake Law Review, 58, 889-903. [online]
Mercier, A. (2007). "Meaning and Necessity: Can Semantics Stop Same-sex Marriage?". Essays in Philosophy, 8, 142-181. [online]
Koppelman, A. (2004) "The Decline and Fall or The Case Against Same-sex Marriage". University of St Thomas Law Journal, 2, 5-32. [online]
Sunstein, C. R., & Thaler, R. H. (2008). "Privatizing Marriage". The Monist, 91, 377-387. [library]
Chambers, C. (2013, July). "The Marriage-free State". In Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 113, 123-143. [online, library]
There are several excellent textbooks of philosophy of social science, which do not cover all the topics of this module, but which may be useful as background readings and bibliographic resources:
· Risjord, M. (2014) Philosophy of Social Science: A Contemporary Introduction. Routledge.
· Rosenberg, A. (2012) Philosophy of Social Science. Westview/Routledge, 4th edition.
These anthologies collect classic papers:
· Steel, D. & Guala, F. (eds. 2011) The Philosophy of Social Science Reader. Routledge. [S&G]
· Martin, M. and McIntyre, L. (eds. 1994) Readings in the Philosophy of Social Science. MIT Press. [M&M]
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (https://plato.stanford.edu/) is another valuable resource for background material, see for example the entries on "Methodological Individualism", "Instrumental Rationality", "Social Norms", "Convention", "Evolutionary Game Theory", "Biological Altruism", "Social Ontology", "Social Institutions", "Collective Intentionality", and more.
Finally, you may also find these handbooks useful:
· Jarvie, I. and Zamora Bonilla, J. (eds. 2011) The Sage Handbook of the Philosophy of Social Sciences. London: Sage.
· Kincaid, H. (ed. 2012) The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Social Science. Oxford University Press.
· Cartwright, N. & Montuschi, E. (eds. 2014) Philosophy of Social Science. Oxford University Press.
Part 2
Girgis, S., George, R. P., & Anderson, R. T. (2011). "What Is Marriage". Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, 34, 245-88. [online]
Gallagher, M. (2009). "Prepared Statement of Maggie Gallagher". Drake Law Review, 58, 889-903. [online]
Mercier, A. (2007). "Meaning and Necessity: Can Semantics Stop Same-sex Marriage?". Essays in Philosophy, 8, 142-181. [online]
Koppelman, A. (2004) "The Decline and Fall or The Case Against Same-sex Marriage". University of St Thomas Law Journal, 2, 5-32. [online]
Sunstein, C. R., & Thaler, R. H. (2008). "Privatizing Marriage". The Monist, 91, 377-387. [library]
Chambers, C. (2013, July). "The Marriage-free State". In Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 113, 123-143. [online, library]
Assessment methods and Criteria
Students who attend at least 70% of the lectures will be assessed on the basis of a short papers (3000 words) and a presentation. Non-attending students have to write one short paper (3000 words) and take an oral examination. Evaluation criteria:
(A) the knowledge of the main topics of the course;
(B) the capability to integrate conceptual analysis and experimental methodologies as well as to master the relevant literature;
(C) independent judgment with respect to philosophical and scientific issues
(D) the ability to provide sounded arguments in written and oral communications.
(A) the knowledge of the main topics of the course;
(B) the capability to integrate conceptual analysis and experimental methodologies as well as to master the relevant literature;
(C) independent judgment with respect to philosophical and scientific issues
(D) the ability to provide sounded arguments in written and oral communications.
Professor(s)