ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the concept of human nature adopted within mainstream economics, with particular emphasis on the assumptions related to rationality. It shows the meaning of rationality and its aspects, its role and place in the view of human nature and how it transformed in relation to the distinguished aspects. The focus is on important stages of its evolution, such as departure from ethical aspects of rational action, from attempts to determine an objective end and changes in the understanding of rationality. Finally, based on the model constructed in Chapter 1, it characterises the concept of homo oeconomicus, with reference to the dimensions and levels of the view of human nature. It also presents the reasons why heterodox economists have created alternatives to the criticised concept of neoclassical economics (homo oeconomicus). The heterodox criticism of the neoclassical concept of human nature (homo oeconomicus) regards the ontological, social and individual dimensions of this concept. It is also directed against methodological aspects of this concept referring to issues such as cognitive individualism, tautology, dogmatism, empirical inadequacy, hidden value judgements, reductionism, the normative function and the missing female perspective.
