The notion of concept is a set of structural ideas with a loose hierarchy and precise
relations between the ideas and terms that compose the concept. Concepts are relational
notions much more reflected than ideas.
Finally, at the other extreme, the notion of theory is a structured set of concepts
integrated in a rather well organized hierarchy and specific structural relations between these
very concepts. Theories are designed for explanations and abstraction on a wider scope than
just concepts. They have a unifying ability in such a way that it makes sense to talk about core
hypothesis in scientific program like Lakatos emphasized.
This succession of five notions corresponds to what has been thought of as scientific
progress. However, these categories are not necessarily exclusive and theories can contain
elements of opinions (what Durkheim defined as “pré-notions”, preconceptions). In other
words, these five notions are often endowed with blurred boundaries. Moreover, economic
ideas and economic theories emerge and evolve in a mix of dogmas, doctrines, opinions, other
economic ideas and theories, all in a given cultural context. This does not mean that theories
and concept do not acquire some essential autonomy. On the side of dogmas and doctrines
we find cultural history, at the level of ideas and concepts, we have intellectual history, and
finally, at the level of theories, we have the scientific culture.2
Another important notion related to doctrines, diffusion of economic ideas, political
debates and the “creation” of economics as vocation is the vulgarization or popularization of
these ideas and concepts relevant to economics and the economists. The diffusion of ideas
through the channel of vulgarization and journalism has been neglected by scholars,
compared to the academic environments diffusing ideas through universities circles, learned
societies, scientific journals, textbooks and academies. This process of diffusion through
journalism is an important complement to the internationalization of economic ideas.
Economics can be considered a social construction, artificial body of knowledge about a
selected realm of reality and experience. Saying that economics is socially constructed - a
social construction of a specific body of knowledge is interesting but it lacks a clear definition
and a background of explanatory mechanisms. This construction of science is based on
several social mechanisms; among several aspects we can emphasize: communication, the
role of institutions and the role of professions. I do not discuss the role of institutions for lack
of time and space, but this could be done more adequately with a thorough study of the
2 I make no pretension about the concepts I use here and no ambition about the philosophy of science.