Human Goods, Economic Evils : A Moral Approach to the Dismal Science

by Hadas, Edward

• ISBN13: 9781933859262
• ISBN10: 1933859261
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-09-01
• Publisher: Isi Books

Summary

Much of modern economic theory is based on a rather unflattering view of human nature, one that is essentially selfish and materialistic. Not surprisingly, this incomplete version of human anthropology makes for some rather incomplete economic theory, argues Edward Hadas in "Human Goods & Economic Evils," Instead of simply being utility maximizers, Hadas argues human beings also seek to maximize morality in their everyday economic lives. For Hadas, economic man is moral man, who always strives for the good according to his nature. While the weakness of human nature ensures that the good is never fully achieved, economic activity is nevertheless best understood as part of the great moral enterprise of humanity. "Human Goods & Economic Evils" does not claim that the basic economic activities of laboring and consuming are the most important things in life, but they are literally vital, and as such deserve to be studied and understood through a more morally sympathetic view of human nature. With this in mind, "Human Goods & Economic Evils" provides both lay readers and policymakers the intellectual tools necessary to judge what is right and what is wrong about the modern economy, and returns the study of economics to its proper, more humanistic sphere.

Author Biography

Edward Hadas, who holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Oxford and an MBA from the State University of New York, writes about economics and finance for Breakingviews.com, an internet financial commentary service based in London. He also teaches and writes about Christian citizenship and social & political philosophy at the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, UK.

Table of Contents

Foreword: The Joyful Science	p. ix
Preface	p. xv
What Are We Talking About? (I)	p. 1
The Problem with Conventional Economics	p. 19
Can This Model Be Saved?	p. 35
Starting Again	p. 49
Human Nature for Economists	p. 65
A Short Discourse on Economic Method	p. 77
What Are We Talking About? (II)	p. 87
A Few Imperfect Ideas about the Economic Good	p. 113
Economic Goods for the World	p. 125
Economic Goods for the Economy	p. 147
Evil in Economics	p. 157
Economic Evils in the World	p. 165
Economic Evils in the Economy	p. 181
The World of Work	p. 193
A Typology of Labor	p. 215
Consumption in the World	p. 239
A Typology of Consumption	p. 257
What Should We Talk about Now?	p. 273
Bibliography	p. 283
Notes	p. 299
Index	p. 323
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