The PPE Centenary Visiting Professorship Lectures

The PPE Centenary Visiting Professorship was established to mark the 100th anniversary of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) degree at the University of Oxford. The Visiting Professorship rotates annually between the Queens College and University College, and the individual subjects that make up the PPE course.

The Professorship is awarded to a highly distinguished researcher working in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, or a closely related interdisciplinary field. As part of the appointment, an annual lecture is delivered.

2025 PPE Centenary Visiting Professor

Professor Nancy Cartwright (2025-2026 Centenary PPE Professor)

Title: 'Is Economics Queen of the Social Sciences?'

Wednesday 12 November 2025, The Queen's College, Shulman Auditorium

Abstract: Economics does seem to have a special claim to the throne since economics is, above all other social sciences, exact and rigirous. And after all, isn't that just what science is supposed to be?

This talk argues that economics is indeed exact and rigorous. But it can only be so in its treatment of small worlds, whereas the real world is large and boisterous. I illustrate with two examples from political economy: Amartya Sen on commitment versus preference and Comte's mathematical work on voting. 

I finish by arguing that there is a way to take its rigorously-established lessons out of economics to enable them to work with in tandem the other social sciences if we follow the advice of JS Mill and treat them as tendency principles. 

Lecture recording available here