What is economics?

According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Economics, the Philosophy of Economics is the following:

“Philosophy of Economics” consists of inquiries concerning (a) rational choice, (b) the appraisal of economic outcomes, institutions and processes, and (c) the ontology of economic phenomena and the possibilities of acquiring knowledge of them. Although these inquiries overlap in many ways, it is useful to divide philosophy of economics in this way into three subject matters which can be regarded respectively as branches of action theory, ethics (or normative social and political philosophy), and philosophy of science. Economic theories of rationality, welfare, and social choice defend substantive philosophical theses often informed by relevant philosophical literature and of evident interest to those interested in action theory, philosophical psychology, and social and political philosophy. Economics is of particular interest to those interested in epistemology and philosophy of science both because of its detailed peculiarities and because it possesses many of the overt features of the natural sciences, while its object consists of social phenomena.

With that definition given, I was wondering, from a philosophical viewpoint that is, how one would define the term "economy." That is to say, is the term "economy" an actual tangible thing we can measure, engage, and impact, or is it more of an idea (e.g. a triangle is an idea; there are only representations of triangles in the real world, no real, pure triangles), something we label and think we can inquire to but never really know? Moreover, if either of these, how do laws and jurisprudence come into play? I think, definitely, choices we make, from both an law and economic level, have impact on our and others lives.