2 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Suggestions for undergrad readings regarding economics and ethics?
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 blckn at 04/12/2013 at 23:09 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The way the class ran we more or less considered the 3 positions for capitalism, socialism, and the welfare state. Marx was mostly read as a critique of capitalism, helped introduce the concept of positive vs negative freedoms as well. We did talk about Mill and utilitarianism quite a bit, shame on me for forgetting.