Reframing economic agency in times of uncertainty

The retrospective assessment of the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic
has once again shown that humanity is often unable to deal effectively with
existential issues until it is (almost) too late. This paper addresses and explains
the shortcomings of mainstream economic thinking that contribute to this
predicament, and proposes a reframed model of human capabilities. Its primary
aim is to improve the scientific assessment of economic phenomena, therefore
providing a methodology-oriented case study for the proposed model. In the
context of a growing 21st century perma-crisis, such expanded visions of
economic agency will prove crucial in various arenas of transformation