Biological Metaphors, Socio-Economic Theory and Reductionism

Abstract

A number of economists and social theorists refrain from the use of biological metaphors in the substantive sense out of fear of reductionism. Reductionism is understood here as the explanation of properties of one phenomenon in terms of the properties of the components that make up that phenomenon. The paper shows that the fear of biological metaphors is misplaced. Firstly, it distinguishes between methodological individualism in general and biological reductionism in particular. Secondly, it is argued that even when biological metaphors are used in the substantive sense, they need not entail biological reductionism. Social scientists may rather benefit from the employment of biological metaphors insofar as they are used to reveal the unity of phenomena at hand. The exposed similarity between biological and social processes does not necessarily promote a reductionist mode of analysis.