The Influence of Experimental and Computational Economics: Economics Back to the Future of Social Sciences

Economics has been a most puzzling science, namely since the neoclassical revolution defined the legitimate procedures for theorisation and quantification. Its epistemology has based on farce: decisive tests are not applied on dare predictions. As a consequence, estimation has finally been replaced by simulation, and empirical tests have been substituted by non-disciplined exercises of comparison of models with reality. Furthermore, the core concepts of economics defy the normally accepted semantics and tend to establish meanings of their own. One of the obvious instances is the notion of rationality, which has been generally equated with the apt use of formal logic or the ability to apply econometric estimation as a rule of thumb for daily life. In that sense, rationality is defined devoid of content, as alien to the construction of significance and reference by reason and social communication. The contradictory use of simulacra and automata, by John von Neumann and Herbert Simon, was a response to this escape of economic models from reality, suggesting that markets could be conceived of as complex institutions. But most mainstream economists did not understand or did not accept these novelties, and the empirical inquiry or the realistic representation of the action of agents and of their social interaction remained a minor domain of economics, and was essentially ignored by canonical theorizing. The argument of the current paper is based on a survey and discussion of the twin contributions of experimental and computational economics to these issues. Although mainly arising out of the mainstream, these emergent fields of economics generate challenging heuristics as well as new empirical results that defy orthodoxy. Their contributions both to the definition of the social meanings of rationality and to the definition of a new brand of inductive economics are discussed.

Protecting the poor from macroeconomic shocks

Many developing countries faced macroeconomic shocks in the 1980s and 1990s. The impact of the shocks on welfare depended on the nature of the shock, on initial household and community conditions, and on policy responses. To avoid severe and lasting losses to poor and vulnerable groups, governments and civil society need to be prepared for a flexible response well ahead of the crisis. A key component of a flexibly responsive system is an effective permanent safety net, which will typically combine a work-fare program with targeted transfers and credit. Once a crisis has happened, several things should be done: 1) Macroeconomic policies should aim to achieve stabilization goals at the least cost to the poor. Typically, a temporary reduction in aggregate demand is inevitable but as soon as a sustainable external balance has been reached and inflationary pressures have been contained, macroeconomic policy should be eased (interest rates reduced and efficient public spending restored, to help offset the worst effects of the recession on the poor). A fiscal stimulus directed at labor-intensiveactivities (such as building rural roads) can combine the benefits of growth with those of income support for poor groups, for example. 2) Key areas of public spending should be protected, especially investments in health care, education, rural infrastructure, urban sanitation, and micro-finance. 3) Efforts should be made to preserve the social fabric and build social capital. 4) Sound information should be generated on the welfare impacts of the crisis.Labor Policies,Public Health Promotion,Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Health Economics&Finance,Health Economics&Finance,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Poverty Assessment,Economic Theory&Research

The influence of experimental and computational economics: Economics back to the future of social sciences

Economics has been a most puzzling science, namely since the neoclassical revolution defined the legitimate procedures for theorisation and quantification. Its epistemology has based on farce: decisive tests are not applied on dare predictions. As a consequence, estimation has finally been replaced by simulation, and empirical tests have been substituted by non-disciplined exercises of comparison of models with reality. Furthermore, the core concepts of economics defy the normally accepted semantics and tend to establish meanings of their own. One of the obvious instances is the notion of rationality, which has been generally equated with the apt use of formal logic or the ability to apply econometric estimation as a rule of thumb for daily life. In that sense, rationality is defined devoid of content, as alien to the construction of significance and reference by reason and social communication. The contradictory use of simulacra and automata, by John von Neumann and Herbert Simon, was a response to this escape of economic models from reality, suggesting that markets could be conceived of as complex institutions. But most mainstream economists did not understand or did not accept these novelties, and the empirical inquiry or the realistic representation of the action of agents and of their social interaction remained a minor domain of economics, and was essentially ignored by canonical theorizing. The argument of the current paper is based on a survey and discussion of the twin contributions of experimental and computational economics to these issues. Although mainly arising out of the mainstream, these emergent fields of economics generate challenging heuristics as well as new empirical results that defy orthodoxy. Their contributions both to the definition of the social meanings of rationality and to the definition of a new brand of inductive economics are discussed

Mediagram: um guia sobre social media

Mediagram: um guia sobre social media consiste em um Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso a respeito da temática “social media”. O objetivo do projeto é transmitir informações e educar sobre conceitos, a fim de tornar mais leve o aprendizado do tema por qualquer pessoa que tenha interesse em aprender. Começamos nossa jornada entendendo a etimologia do termo “Rede Sociais” para a sociologia e o seu significado na atualidade. Em seguida exploramos a história das redes sociais tais quais conhecemos hoje, entrando em detalhes sobre o Instagram, plataforma escolhida como foco deste projeto, analisando suas ferramentas e funcionalidades. Por fim, desenvolvemos o projeto por meio de técnicas de planejamento e de execução práticas como naming e identidade visual, resultando na criação de um perfil completo no Instagram, um site e uma newsletter

Relations between the southwest and the mediterranean during the final bronze (XI-X centuries b.C.). Huelva and the Sardinia island)

A partir de la historiografía y del resultado de los análisis de C14 más recientes, se explica el desarrollo de un Bronce Final prefenicio en el Suroeste peninsular que ha sido puesto en duda en algunas líneas de investigación que inciden en la implicación fenicia de cualquier signo de aculturación o desarrollo positivo de la sociedad occidental. De acuerdo con el registro arqueológico, a lo largo de los siglos XI-X a.C. las relaciones entre el Suroeste de la Península Ibérica y la isla de Cerdeña, están probadas en momentos que también se comparten objetos con Chipre y el Mediterráneo oriental en general, sin que esos contactos deban incluirse en la denominada precolonización fenicia de Occidente.Although it has been denied by some research schools which always find a Phoenician implication in any positive development of western society, based on historiographical grounds, recent archaeological data and 14C analysis, a Western Pre-Phoenician Late Bronze development is hereby explained. In accordance with archaeological record also it has been proved that through 11th to 10th centuries BC Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus, Sardinia and the South West of Iberian Peninsula were sharing material objects that cannot be included in the so called Western Phoenician Pre-Colonization

Diagnóstico y planificación del tratamiento odontológico multidisciplinar de dos casos clínicos.

Para un correcto desempeño de su función, el profesional odontólogo ha de demostrar dominio las diferentes ramas que pueden darse en el tratamiento odontológico de un paciente. En el presente Trabajo de fin de Grado, se muestra una explicación detallada del diagnóstico, la elaboración del plan de tratamiento, incluyendo las opciones terapéuticas posibles, así como el abordaje de dos casos clínicos de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud y del Deporte de la Universidad de Zaragoza. El primer caso es un hombre de 49 años, alérgico al látex y parcialmente edéntulo. Presenta gingivitis generalizada y deficiente higiene oral, lengua vellosa, colapso de mordida posterior, mordida cruzada anterior, pérdida de dimensión vertical y DTM. En el segundo caso, se presenta a una mujer de 54 años, con hábitos con repercusión estomatognática, tratamiento de trastorno de ansiedad, que presenta gingivitis localizada, DTM, ausencia del primer molar inferior derecho y demandante de tratamiento estético no invasivo en el sector anterosuperior. En ambos casos se plantean diversas opciones de tratamiento, de los cuales se establece cuál sería el ideal para cada uno, justificándolos con evidencia científica. En la exposición de dichos casos, se quiere recalcar la importancia de la realización de un buen diagnóstico y una buena planificación del tratamiento, así como de una correcta interrelación entre las diversas ramas de la odontología

Dairy farmers’ decision‐making to implement biosecurity measures: A study of psychosocial factors

Biosecurity measures are a set of management procedures that prevent the risk of introducing and spreading infectious diseases to a farm, although these measures are rarely implemented in dairy farms. There are some studies that have identified that the decision to implement biosecurity measures can be influenced by several psychosocial factors (attitudes and behaviours). Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the psychosocial factors (and their interactions) influencing the implementation of biosecurity measures in dairy farms in Spain, through the views of dairy farmers and veterinarians from Catalonia (northeast Spain) and Galicia (northwest Spain). Face‐to‐face in‐depth interviews were performed with 16 dairy farmers (nine from Catalonia and seven from Galicia) and 16 veterinarians (eight from Catalonia and eight from Galicia). Grounded theory analysis was performed on the transcripts, following the subtopics of: information sources, individual factors of the farmer, social dynamics, official veterinary services and other factors. The study identified the importance of veterinarians as a source of information, including their communication skills, the individual experiences of farmers, traditions of the farms and availability of time and space in the dairy farmer's decisions making. Further, it suggests the need to deepen the knowledge of the farm workers and the obligatory biosecurity measures. This research represents a starting point to develop future strategies to improve the implementation of biosecurity measures in dairy farmsThis research was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) of Spain (AGL2016‐77269‐C2‐1‐R) and by European Regional Development Funds (ERDF). PhD studies of Moya, S., were funded by a grant from the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) of Chile and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona of Spain (B18P0040)S

Relación entre organización de los contenidos y criterios de evaluación: el caso del campo conceptual multiplicativo en la educación básica

Este trabajo es parte de la investigación Propósitos y Prácticas Evaluativos de las Matemáticas en la Educación Básica: El caso del Campo Multiplicativo; Colciencias-Universidad Pedagógica Nacional Código 1108-11-11328, la cual se desarrollará del 2002 al 2004, por estudiantes y profesores de la Maestría en Docencia de las Matemáticas de esta Universidad. El objetivo es caracterizar e interpretar modelos y diseños de las prácticas evaluativas en las aulas de matemáticas en torno al Campo Conceptual Multiplicativo. Se pretende que de esta investigación se deriven algunos trabajos de tesis de maestría en torno a la Evaluación de las Matemáticas escolares

Representações sobre a adesão ao tratamento da Tuberculose Multidroga Resistente

Objective: To identify representations regarding adherence to the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis from the perspective of patients who were discharged upon being cured. Method: A qualitative study with patients who completed the drug treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in São Paulo. Social Determination was used to interpret the health-disease process, and the testimonies were analyzed according to dialectical hermeneutics and the discourse analysis technique. Results: Twenty-one patients were interviewed. The majority (80.9%) were men, in the productive age group (90.4%) and on sick leave or unemployed (57.2%) during the treatment. Based on the testimonies, three categories associated with adherence to treatment emerged: the desire to live, support for the development of treatment and care provided by the health services. Conclusion: For the study sample, adherence to the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis was related to having a life project and support from the family and health professionals. Free treatment is fundamental for adherence, given the fragilities arising from the social insertion of people affected by the disease. Therefore, special attention is required from the health services to understand patient needs