2 upvotes, 4 direct replies (showing 4)
View submission: Suggestions for undergrad readings regarding economics and ethics?
I took a similar class and we read (excerpts of):
Capitalism and Freedom (Friedman) The Communist Manifesto (Marx) The New Politics of Consumption (Juliet Schor) Economic Justice (Stephen Nathanson) Outliers (Malcolm Gladwell) Famine, Affluence, and Morality (Peter Singer)
We also studied some arguements from Rawls (veil of ignorance), and Nozick (mostly from Anarchy, State, and Utopia).
The class was focused on what makes a just government and what the proper functions of that government would be. With Singer we explored the idea of partiality and its justifications a bit.
Comment by drinka40tonight at 04/12/2013 at 21:12 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Thanks. Do you mind if I ask, how was this particular class run? Was it mainly lectured based, or was there a lot of discussion? Were discussion questions provided beforehand with the readings? Was there any group work?
I'm trying to get a sense for what would work well with this sort of material.
Comment by Milo-Minderbinder at 04/12/2013 at 21:56 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I think these are good choices, especially Singer. He's a controversial guy, but that is often what is needed to get students' attention. I am a bit confused by the Marx reading though? If you're doing a class on economics and ethics wouldn't it be more appropriate to pick a less "political" and more economical work? I would probably find a good Marx/Engels reader, and read some selections from Das Kapital (especially volume 1) in that.
Furthermore, I think it might be really great to read some enlightenment thinkers. Political philosophy and economics is very closely linked if you take a look at people like Bentham and Mill. If you don't want to assign originals, there is *plenty* of secondary reading on the connections between the thoughts of economists like Pareto (or is it Paredo? I forget) and the philosophy of these guys.
EDIT: and that would easily lead straight into more contemporary writers like Nozick, Rawls, and MacIntyre
Comment by Son_of_Sophroniscus at 05/12/2013 at 00:51 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Capitalism and Freedom (Friedman)
This one is also very good for a defense of a free(er) market. It should also be very accessible for undergrads (unlike his more specialized work such as *Monetary History of the U.S.*)
Comment by [deleted] at 06/12/2013 at 21:02 UTC
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Communist manifesto is hardly worth any time at all. skip it. Read David Harvey's "Marx's Capital, Pt. 1"