Why Is Economics Axiomatic

This question can be asked in an alternative way: why do we use axiomatic approach to study human behavior?

The explanation of Concept A relies on Concept B, and explaining Concept B in turn requires Concept C. As this chain continues, there must eventually be some concept that depends on no other—otherwise the explanations would form an infinite regress or circle back on themselves. That concept, left undefined, is a primitive concept: the foundation on which all other concepts are built.

This same structure applies to propositions, a pattern captured in the philosophical term Agrippa's trilemma. The chain stops at the primitive proposition—called an axiom—which is assumed true without proof.

Thus, all scientific theories are systems built on primitive concepts and axioms. Economics, a social science, is axiomatic.

Wait, what about literature, religion and art? Aren't they social science too? No. They are not because only axiomatic theories are science. This is simply a category. Don't confuse it with downplaying the importance of other social sciences. In Prof Xie's view, human won't be merrier if there were only sciences (The above is abstracted from pp. 353-355 ¹).

Being axiomatic requires economics to be logically self-consistent.