Akvinietis ir rinka. Žmogiškos ekonomikos link

by Mary L. Hirschfeld

Harvardo universiteto ekonomikos ir Noterdamo universiteto teologijos mokslų daktarė Mery Hirschfeld savo knygoje „Akvinietis ir rinka. Žmogiškos ekonomikos link“ pateikia išsamią šiuolaikinės ekonominės mąstysenos analizę ir jos principų kritiką. M. Hirschfeld įtikinamai atskleidžia šiandieniniams ekonomistams būdingos filosofijos ir ja paremtų metodų ribotumą. Ji tvirtina, jog žmogaus samprata, kuria vadovaujasi ekonomistai, yra nepakankama ir anaiptol neatspindi daugelio žmogiško gyvenimo aspektų. Autorė siūlo originalią – teologinės ekonomikos – koncepciją, kuri remiasi šv. Tomo Akviniečio filosofijoje pateikta žmogaus prigimties, laimės, meilės, dorybių, gero gyvenimo bei jį laiduojančių įstatymų samprata.

Knyga „Akvinietis ir rinka. Žmogiškos ekonomikos link“ parašyta vengiant sauso akademinio žargono ir remiantis gausiais ekonominės bei filosofinės literatūros šaltiniais. Todėl M. Hirschfeld atskleistos ekonomikos ir etikos sąsajos bus aktualios ne tik ekonomistams bei filosofams, bet ir kiekvienam, norinčiam praplėsti savo ekonominio suvokimo horizontus.

Genres: Economics, Philosophy, Religion, Theology, Nonfiction

268 pages

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super fascinating inter-disciplinary approach bringing economic analysis and Thomistic moral philosophy into conversation. While the book pursues the economic question well, it is also an excellent survey of Thomistic ethics and the nature of virtue as directed toward beatitude in God. Esoteric at times, but very good.

[Jared Mindel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best books I've ever read. Recommended reading for anybody interested either in economics, theology, or philosophy, and necessary reading for those interested in all. Hirschfeld articulately describes the problems with economics that the average man implicitly knows, but economists are wont to ignore. Viewing rationality in terms of consumption bundles and utility curves, equating happiness with preference satisfaction, and focusing almost entirely on models that assume total insatiable desires has really hurt economics as a series of thought.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

some of the argument gets a little obscure for non-economists who aren't necessarily interested in the debates amongst specific specialists, but there's a lot here for people from other fields too. its proposing an alternative way of thinking about human economic behavior instead of the rational choice model, which has been shown to hide some pretty unethical reasoning. I interpreted it as a call to integrate economics back within the humanities, understanding the predictive mathematical models are very helpful but need to be tethered to conversations about human ends.

[Michael Baranowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a great deal of respect for Aquinas as a philosopher and theologian, but I've never considered his economic thought and how it might apply to modern society. It turns out that despite writing well before the dawn of industrialization and capitalism, Aquinas does in fact have a lot of relevance in considering what a more humane economy might look like. And even if one doesn't believe in Aquinas' God, much of his thought can still be applied.

[Bill Hauk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done! Prof. Hirschfeld does an excellent job of illuminating the differences between a scholastic approach to the economy with the neoclassical one, without creating the strawmen typical of the genre.

[Christina “6 word reviewer” Lake]

Aquinas against rational choice model—smart!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful. The author is both an economist and a theologian. So follies on both sides are avoided.

[Toni Marcheva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Many of Hirschfeld's comments felt very in line with unspoken thoughts I have had as an economist. But others were a gut punch...economists should be humble about what their models can say? Really? I'll be thinking about this one for a while. And maybe also rethinking my dissertation.

[Timothy Puszczewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read for a while. Great to see how Catholics should think about the economy as a means to an end. Uses Aquinas' metaphysics and philosophy to explain where economists go wrong, but without completely demonising the whole field.

[Francisco Ruela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book at the intersection of economics and theology - sadly the economics and perception of economics is rooted in the 80s

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hirschfeld has taken an impossibly unlikely journey, which has produced the novel analysis and ideas that make Aquinas and the Market an incredible gift to the world. Hirschfeld's Havard Economics training is obvious in her exposition and critique of economic models of human behavior and her analysis of it as describing a lower form of human rationally (nonetheless still valuable in certain circumstances). Using indispensable and underappreciated insights from Thomas Aquinas, Hirschfeld articulates clearly a higher form of meta-rationality. This presents a challenge to economists to find ways to incorporate these insights into their models. More importantly, it expands the mind of the reader by shattering the belief that "utility" can be simplistically collapsed into a scalar and that our objective is and should be to maximize this measure of material wellbeing subject to the constraints of time and money. Instead, the book illuminates the pernicious effects for individuals and society of this way of thinking and offers a new perspective on what constitutes true human flourishing, happiness, and meta-rationality, which are not the object of a constrained maximization problem but rather are achieved by cultivating a higher form of prudence in our reflections, decisions, and behaviors.

[Jeff Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Hirschfeld masterfully connects two very broad and dense disciplines of economics and theology. This book is beautifully written with just the right amount of economic and theological jargon that both experts (in either field) or complete beginners can understand. The research done for this book is extensive and granted you can see from the diverse citations used (at end of the book). Truly, this is a book that economists and philosophers/theologians alike should pick up, as the topics discussed are quite apparent in modern society (and surely for future generations) in how we can strive towards happiness and a humane economy.