Valuing the Unique: The Economics of Singularities

List of Illustrations and Tables ix Preface xi Part One: An Overlooked Reality Chapter One: The Problem 3 Chapter Two: Singularities 10 What Are Singularities? 10 A Preliminary Journey 13 The Market of Psychoanalysis 15 Two Models of Singularity 16 Chapter Three: Do We Need Another Market Theory? 21 What Mainstream Economics Could Only Ignore 21 What the "New Economics" Chose to Ignore 23 Part Two: Tools for Analysis Chapter Four: Judgment 35 Can Economic Analysis Ignore Information? 35 Decision and Judgment 36 What Is Judgment? 39 Chapter Five: Judgment Devices 44 Devices Are Representatives 46 Devices Are Cognitive Supports 49 Devices Are Active Forces 51 Chapter Six: Trust Devices 55 Formal Analysis 57 Substantive Analysis 58 Chapter Seven: Homo singularis 67 Value and Instrumentality 68 Shopping 73 The Red Michelin Guide: A Paper Engine 77 How Many Ninth Symphonies Did Beethoven Compose? 80 Chapter Eight: The Metamorphosis of Singularities 87 The Weight of Words 88 Can Sameness Engender Incommensurability? 89 Chapter Nine: The Regimes of Economic Coordination 96 A Classification of the Economic Coordination Regimes 97 Consumer Commitments and Coordination Regimes 103 Interlude 106 Part Three: Economic Coordination RegimesImpersonal Devices Regimes 131 Chapter Ten: The Authenticity Regime 133 The Market of Fine Wines 135 The Hachette and the Parker Guides to Wine 138 The Intelligentsia, Connoisseurs, and the Layman 141 Vulnerability of the French Fine- Wines Market? 144 Chapter Eleven: The Mega Regime 148 Megafilms 148 The Luxury Megafirm 157 The Megabrand 163 Chapter Twelve: The Expert- Opinion Regime 167 Literary Prizes 167 Trendsetters and Gatekeepers 170 Public Quality- Rating Devices 171 Chapter Thirteen: The Common- Opinion Regime 174 Songs 175 Adjustment by the Charts 177 Personal Devices Regimes 181 Chapter Fourteen: The Network- Market 183 The Personal Network 183 The Trade Network 185 The Practitioner Network 186 Chapter

Lucien Karpik is a sociologist at the École des Mines and the Centre Raymond Aron (EHESS) in Paris. His books include French Lawyers: A Study in Collective Action, 1274-1994 and, with Terence C. Halliday and Malcolm M. Feeley, Fighting for Political Freedom: Comparative Studies of the Legal Complex and Political Liberalism.

"This is a wonderfully stimulating book--evocative, provocative, ambitious, and certain to spark debate. It poses important questions and offers new conceptual tools for economic sociology. There is a lot to think about here."--Bruce Carruthers, Northwestern University