Homo economicus

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

A pseudotaxonomic name, by analogy with Homo sapiens. The earlier term economic man was used for the first time in the late nineteenth century by critics of John Stuart Mill's work on political economy.

Proper noun

Homo economicus

  1. (economics) A human being regarded as a rational and narrowly self-interested actor capable of making judgments in order to attain its own particular goals.
    Synonyms: economic human, economic man
    Coordinate term: Homo reciprocans

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Further reading

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