Papers by Joanna Dzionek Kozlowska
Humaniora, 2024
Ethical dilemmas facing respondents with a choice between sacrificing the lives of a smaller numb... more Ethical dilemmas facing respondents with a choice between sacrificing the lives of a smaller number of people to save a larger number, formulated in correspondence to the famous Trolley Problem, have been of enduring interest since Philippa Foot’s presentation of the canonical version of this problem. In more recent literature, and especially in publications reporting the results of empirical research, decisions of answerers declaring abstention from taking action that would result in saving a larger group of potential victims at the cost of sacrificing the lives of fewer people have come to be referred to as “deontological” choices. On the other hand, declarations of readiness to take such actions are referred to as “utilitarian” or (less frequently) “consequentialist” choices. The aim of the article is to demonstrate the shortcomings of using the aforementioned labels. The argumentation is supported by empirical material collected in the years 2020–2022 among students of the University of Łódź (N = 302). The analysis of justifications explaining the motives behind both types of decisions left by the respondents shows that in numerous cases, “deontological” decisions, that is, passive decisions, actually stemmed from premises much closer to consequentialist ethics than deontological attitudes. Similarly, active behaviour was not always the outcome of utilitarian motives. The results of our research clearly indicate that the dominant, simplified perception of these choices in the literature leads to a distorted picture of the moral attitudes of respondents, thus posing the danger of drawing false conclusions. We claim that distinguishing between attitudes adopted by respondents in dilemmas based on the Trolley Problem should not refer to ethical doctrines. Instead, judging the moral attitudes of respondents requires an analysis of the motives behind the decisions they make, at the very least.
Economics & Sociology, 2024
Economic education is frequently blamed for negatively impacting students’ morality, leading to t... more Economic education is frequently blamed for negatively impacting students’ morality, leading to the so-called indoctrination hypothesis. This view is supported by abundant empirical research. Nevertheless, certain studies do not confirm and even gainsay the existence of such a destructive relationship. This article aims to contribute to the discussion by analysing ethical decisions made by the less and more advanced students of Economics when confronted with moral dilemmas based on the Trolley Problem. Additionally, to address the self-selection hypothesis, we compare the choices made by the first-year students of Economics with those of their Sociology counterparts. Assuming that economics teaching affects students’ moral choices and considering the fundamental role of utility maximization in both orthodox economics and standard economic education, one might expect a proportion of “utilitarian” ethical judgments to increase with the advancement of economic studies. Surprisingly, our research does not confirm such an association. Working with a sample of Polish undergraduate students of Economics (N=408) and Sociology (N=123) during the initial three weeks of the academic years 2020/2021 and 2022/2023, we observed that the choices of more advanced economists-to-be are more “deontological” (grounded in norms) than “utilitarian” (grounded in benefits). Therefore, we argue that economic education does not have the power to shake students' ethical choices considerably and transform them into unscrupulous calculating machines. However, certain support was found for the self-selection hypothesis, as the first-year students enrolled in the Economics programme were slightly more prone to “utilitarian” choices than the first-year sociologists.
Economics & Sociology, 2022
Economic education is commonly blamed for negatively affecting students' values and attit... more Economic education is commonly blamed for negatively affecting students' values and attitudes. Students of economics are repeatedly reported to differ from other majors. The differences are commonly explained by the learning effect (the indoctrination hypothesis) and the self-selection of specific persons to economics. We aim to contribute to the nurture vs nature debate on economics students by testing the indoctrination (nurture) and the self-selection (nature) hypotheses. Working with undergraduate economics and non-economic majors (N=286), we ran a Public Good Game (PGG) quasi-experiment. To test the self-selection hypothesis, we compared levels of donation in the PGG by both subsamples. To test the indoctrination hypothesis, we (1) analysed the results of economics students at different stages of their education and (2) juxtaposed their donations in the PGG with their academic performance. If economic education affects student attitudes, those who master economic theory better should be more "indoctrinated" and, as such, less eager to donate their endowments to the common fund in the PGG. However, no difference between the results of the first-year and second-year students has been found. Also, no correlation between exam scores and students' donations in the PGG has been revealed. Nonetheless, we have detected a statistically significant difference between the economics and non-economics majors, which allows us to conclude that economics students' atypicality comes from their self-selection of economic studies and is not attributable to economic teaching.
Economics & Sociology, 2022
Economic education is commonly blamed for negatively affecting students' values and attitudes. St... more Economic education is commonly blamed for negatively affecting students' values and attitudes. Students of economics are repeatedly reported to differ from other majors. The differences are commonly explained by the learning effect (the indoctrination hypothesis) and the self-selection of specific persons to economics. We aim to contribute to the nurture vs nature debate on economics students by testing the indoctrination (nurture) and the self-selection (nature) hypotheses. Working with undergraduate economics and non-economic majors (N=286), we ran a Public Good Game (PGG) quasi-experiment. To test the self-selection hypothesis, we compared levels of donation in the PGG by both subsamples. To test the indoctrination hypothesis, we (1) analysed the results of economics students at different stages of their education and (2) juxtaposed their donations in the PGG with their academic performance. If economic education affects student attitudes, those who master economic theory better should be more "indoctrinated" and, as such, less eager to donate their endowments to the common fund in the PGG. However, no difference between the results of the first-year and second-year students has been found. Also, no correlation between exam scores and students' donations in the PGG has been revealed. Nonetheless, we have detected a statistically significant difference between the economics and non-economics majors, which allows us to conclude that economics students' atypicality comes from their self-selection of economic studies and is not attributable to economic teaching.
Journal of Philosophical Economics, 2015
The relationship between the development of economics and economic performance is not reducible t... more The relationship between the development of economics and economic performance is not reducible to any set of simple rules. Among the historians of economic thought there is even a handful of those who perceive the progress in economics mostly as an outcome of the attempts to solve the problems, inconsistencies and paradoxes within economic theory itself. Seen from this perspective, economic reality has minor (or no) importance. On the other hand, the endeavours to modify a mainstream approach are significantly greater in times of economic downturns. Seeing that economics is in such a state of 'intellectual ferment' nowadays, it is worth reconsidering the connection between economics and the economy. Thus the main aim of the paper is to analyse the current state of economic science in relation to the last economic slump. Although it is of course not possible to predict the future trajectories of economic theorising, taking into consideration the nature of the crisis the most...
Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric, 2021
Economic education is frequently blamed for negatively affecting students’ values and attitudes. ... more Economic education is frequently blamed for negatively affecting students’ values and attitudes. Economists are reported as less cooperative, more self-interested, and more prone to free-riding. However, empirical evidence is inconclusive – certain studies support while others gainsay the so-called indoctrination hypothesis. We contribute to the discussion by running a Public Good Game (PGG) quasi-experiment. Working with economics and non-economics graduates (N = 206), we compared contributions to the common fund by representatives of both subsamples. Students’ contributions were then juxtaposed against the scores they achieved from the exam items, testing their command of game theory to detect the supposed influence of economic teaching. We hypothesised that holders of a bachelor’s degree in economics and management would contribute less to finance the common good. We also expected that those whose exam scores were higher would donate less to the common fund in the PGG. Contrary t...
Zakończenie i wnioski Aneks 1. Stan poszukiwań źródeł terminów homo oeconomicus i economic man An... more Zakończenie i wnioski Aneks 1. Stan poszukiwań źródeł terminów homo oeconomicus i economic man Aneks 2. Wnioski z badań empirycznych nt. różnic w zachowaniach i postawach studentów kierunków ekonomicznych i nie-ekonomicznych Bibliografia 10 Obszerny wywód dotyczący niemożności posługiwania się w naukach o człowieku metodami indukcyjnymi przedstawia Mill na stronach 598-622 (1962, vol. II). 11 Mill nie brał pod uwagę możliwości wykorzystania w ekonomii metod statystycznych.
Economics & Sociology, 2017
The impact of university education on the learners' attitudes remains uncertain. Nevertheless, th... more The impact of university education on the learners' attitudes remains uncertain. Nevertheless, the Economics students' unwillingness to cooperate is frequently attributed to the content of economic courses, and the theories of profit maximization. This article contributes to the discussion on students' attitudes towards cooperation based on the survey of 341 Polish and Romanian students. Since these countries differ in terms of collectivism/individualism dimension, we focus on tracing the influence of cultures on cooperativeness. Specifically, we investigate three variables. First, the impact of culture on the willingness to cooperate, secondly, the influence of gender on collaboration, and finally, the differences in attitudes among the students of Sociology and Economics. We find significant differences between Polish and Romanian students' attitudes towards cooperation, we also observe higher level cooperation among females than males. We detect a drop in cooperation from the first year to the subsequent years of undergraduate studies in Economics.
Annales Ethics in Economic Life, 2014
The ongoing process of democratisation lead to the growing importance of the electoral systems th... more The ongoing process of democratisation lead to the growing importance of the electoral systems that regulate the procedures of gaining and legitimizing power in democracy. Taking it into account it is worth asking about the relationship between these particular 'game rules' contained into electoral law and the respect of the rule of law, being one of the basic norms of a democratic system. A question then may be raised about the existence and the character of the relation between electoral systems and the level of political corruption. It is worth noticing that besides the research conducted by political scientists and the representatives of various branches of social sciences the significant analysis of the issue have been presented by the economists. In this article a brief overview of the economic studies on the relationship between level of political corruption and the electoral systems is presented so as to assess to what degree this approach may be treated as fruitful.
Ekonomia jako nauka pozytywna. Refleksje na marginesie "Ekonomii dobra i zła" Tomáša Sedláčka Prz... more Ekonomia jako nauka pozytywna. Refleksje na marginesie "Ekonomii dobra i zła" Tomáša Sedláčka Przekonania mogą być ostatecznie niczym więcej, jak tylko źródłem energii, baterią, którą ktoś wkłada do idei, żeby ta zaczęła działać 1 .
The relationship between the development of economics and economic performance is not reducible t... more The relationship between the development of economics and economic performance is not reducible to any set of simple rules. Among the historians of economic thought there is even a handful of those who perceive the progress in economics mostly as an outcome of the attempts to solve the problems, inconsistencies and paradoxes within economic theory itself. Seen from this perspective, economic reality has minor (or no) importance. On the other hand, the endeavours to modify a mainstream approach are significantly greater in times of economic downturns. Seeing that economics is in such a state of 'intellectual ferment' nowadays, it is worth reconsidering the connection between economics and the economy. Thus the main aim of the paper is to analyse the current state of economic science in relation to the last economic slump. Although it is of course not possible to predict the future trajectories of economic theorising, taking into consideration the nature of the crisis the most feasible and potentially most fruitful areas are indicated.
Optimum. Studia Ekonomiczne, 2015
Zainicjowany ponad ćwierć wieku temu proces transformacji ustrojowej krajów byłego bloku wschodni... more Zainicjowany ponad ćwierć wieku temu proces transformacji ustrojowej krajów byłego bloku wschodniego miał charakter bezprecedensowy. Wyjaśnienie jego wymiaru ekonomicznego -możliwych i ostatecznie obieranych dróg przejścia od gospodarki nakazowo-rozdzielczej do gospodarki rynkowej -już przez samą tę bezprecedensowość, ale i niezwykłą złożoność stanowiło i wciąż stanowi wyzwanie dla nauk ekonomicznych. Celem artykułu jest ocena, w jakiej mierze współczesna ekonomia poradziła sobie z tym wyzwaniem i próba uzasadnienia tezy, iż przy objaśnianiu zróżnicowanych trajektorii rozwojowych krajów transformacji i tłumaczeniu przyczyn osiąganych na tym polu sukcesów (lub ich braku) zdecydowanie bardziej adekwatne okazały się koncepcje stworzone przez reprezentantów szkół leżących na obrzeżach lub poza głównym nurtem badań ekonomicznych.
Annals of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University - Economics, 2015
Many thinkers made attempts to explain differences in economic development between countries, and... more Many thinkers made attempts to explain differences in economic development between countries, and point out what should be done to foster development. We review briefly some spectacular theories focused on these fundamental problems. We use the tools of economic analysis and the methods characteristic especially for institutional economics and economic history. However, the paper’s central aim is to analyse and assess one of the newest voices in that still open discussion coming from Acemoglu and Robinson and presented in their “Why Nation Failed? The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty”. Their book is brimmed with compelling illustrations, which we acknowledge as its strongest point. While the accuracy and coherence of their generalisations leave much to be desired. The analysis of those examples let to infer that the most important element encouraging or hampering economic development is the common participation of the people in economic and political processes.
STUDIES IN LOGIC, GRAMMAR AND RHETORIC, 2021
Economic education is frequently blamed for negatively affecting students' values and attitudes. ... more Economic education is frequently blamed for negatively affecting students' values and attitudes. Economists are reported as less cooperative, more self-interested, and more prone to free-riding. However, empirical evidence is inconclusive-certain studies support while others gainsay the socalled indoctrination hypothesis. We contribute to the discussion by running a Public Good Game (PGG) quasi-experiment. Working with economics and non-economics graduates (N = 206), we compared contributions to the common fund by representatives of both subsamples. Students' contributions were then juxtaposed against the scores they achieved from the exam items, testing their command of game theory to detect the supposed influence of economic teaching. We hypothesised that holders of a bachelor's degree in economics and management would contribute less to finance the common good. We also expected that those whose exam scores were higher would donate less to the common fund in the PGG. Contrary to expectations and prior empirical evidence, students holding a bachelor's degree in economics and management made higher contributions to the common fund than their non-economics counterparts. Also, we found no correlation between the level of donations and exam scores. We conclude that there are no grounds for considering economic teaching as promoting uncooperativeness and exerting the supposed harmful influence on students' character. We claim that economic departments provide education rather than indoctrination.
Na okładce wykorzystano fotografię Rafała Matery Wydrukowano z gotowych materiałów dostarczonych ... more Na okładce wykorzystano fotografię Rafała Matery Wydrukowano z gotowych materiałów dostarczonych do Wydawnictwa UŁ
Journal of Economic Issues
Abstract The role of culture in economic development is still not fully recognized. However, inst... more Abstract The role of culture in economic development is still not fully recognized. However, institutional economists have been known for playing an active part in the inquiries into identifying the culture-embedded factors influencing economic performance. Somewhat surprisingly, certain recent theories by the influential new institutional economists recognize culture as an exogenous variable, denying its importance for coining prosperity. By taking Acemoglu and Robinson’s theory, presented in Why Nations Fail and elaborated on in their earlier papers, as a representative example, we bring to light the limitations of such an approach. Firstly, we demonstrate how the eradication of culture leads to an internal inconsistency in Acemoglu and Robinson’s theorizing on economic performance. Their strong rejection of the culture hypothesis is impossible to reconcile with their concept of institutional changes outlined in Paths to Inclusive Political Institutions and The Narrow Corridor. Secondly, we also point to certain cases in which culture was an ontologically important factor affecting economic performance. Our claim is illustrated by some examples of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries’ paths of economic development. We conclude that neglecting culture diminishes the explanatory power of such theories of economic development and significantly undermines their practical implications.
Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric
Numerous authors indicate that the influence of academic education extends beyond the growth of s... more Numerous authors indicate that the influence of academic education extends beyond the growth of specialized knowledge gained by the graduates. Scholars are trying to identify and examine the potential impact of higher learning on students’ attitudes and choices. One of the dimensions considered by the researchers is the effect of university training on students’ moral choices. Our paper attempts to identify differences between the students’ declared moral choices and their majors (fields of studies). Working with a sample of university students of Economics and Sociology (N = 181), and using three variants of the Trolley Problem, the subjects’ responses are used to identify the similarities and differences between their choices. The participants were asked to respond to three hypothetical situations regarding a runaway trolley. Their decision in the first scenario could save a person’s life or let her be run over by the trolley. In the second scenario, their decision could either le...
The Journal of Interdisciplinary History
Economic development in the Polish city of Lodz was a function of both geography and institutions... more Economic development in the Polish city of Lodz was a function of both geography and institutions. Neither geographical nor institutional factors, if taken separately, was a sufficient condition for long-term development. Although the economic achievements of Lodz depended on environmental factors throughout the entire period before World War I, dynamic progress there had to await the establishment of a beneficial institutional background—a change from wool to cotton production, the abolition of a custom’s border, and the construction of a railway system—in the nineteenth century.
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Papers by Joanna Dzionek Kozlowska