The Use (and Abuse) of Robinson Crusoe in Neoclassical Economics
指出新古典经济学中罗宾逊·克鲁索的故事被广泛使用，但其行为与原著及现实不符，早期学者试图解释个体行为，现代学者仅用选择理论描述决策，反映了效用理论从解释到描述的转变。
Robinson Crusoe stories were and are extensively used in neoclassical economics. The behavior of neoclassical Robinson Crusoe, however, is at odds both with that of Defoe's hero, the original Robinson Crusoe, and that of real-world castaways. Only the early neoclassicals can be criticized for these contradictions because they intended to explain the behavior of their isolated individuals, whereas modern neoclassicals only seek to describe the decisions of Robinson Crusoe in terms of modern choice theory. This contrast mirrors the change in the way utility theory is conceived—no longer as a means to explain behavior but only as a means to describe it. It is argued that Robinson Crusoe and homo economicus are closely related and that, therefore, the Robinson Crusoe stories afford insights into the development of neoclassical economics and the problems resulting from its reliance upon the isolated-individual paradigm.