Philosophers of Capitalism: Menger, Mises, Rand, and Beyond

Book Description

Philosophers of Capitalism provides an interdisciplinary approach, attempting to discover the feasibility of an integration of Austrian Economics and Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. Edward W. Younkins supplies essays presenting the essential ideas of Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises, and Ayn Rand, as well as scholarly essays discussing the theorists and the interaction of their theories.

Customer Reviews:

The Ethics and Methodology of Capitalism.......2007-02-03

The two most prominent schools of thought for those committed to laissez-faire capitalism are Objectivism (the neo-Aristotelian philosophy of Ayn Rand) and the Austrian School of Economics founded by Carl Menger.

An essential difference between these two schools is that Objectivism is a full-orbed philosophy which contains an explicit political and ethical justification for capitalism. Austrian Economics, on the other hand, presents itself as an explicitly value-free system of thought. Austrians argue that while capitalist economies will increase wealth and benefit the public at large, any ethical justification for capitalism is not intrinsic to the Austrian method. For example, Ludwig von Mises considered ethics outside the domain of science and made his ethical case (to the extent one could call it that) for capitalism on utilitarian grounds. In addition, Mises was explicitly Kantian in his epistemology and considered his methodology (which he called praxeology) to be based on Kantian assumptions. And while we tend to associate Austrian Economics with laissez-faire capitalism, some Austrians have not been consistent defenders of free enterprise. One thinks of Friedrich von Hayek, whom Rand bitterly opposed.

Nonetheless, Rand praised the economic writings of Mises while noting her disagreements with the philosophical sections of her work. However, as her posthumously published Marginalia indicate, she was in fact downright hostile to his ethical and epistemological theories. Rand believed that Mises' utilitarianism and Kantianism could not provide the appropriate methodological foundation for economics or provide a philosophical foundation for a free society. In fact (if her Marginalia constitutes her reasoned evaluation of Mises) she considered him a "neo-mystic" because of his Kantian approach. One need not be an expert on Rand's thought to know that "mystic" was one of the harshest terms in the Randian lexicon. Things went from bad to worse in her eyes with Mises' American follower Murray Rothbard. Although Rothbard was an Aristotelian whose ethics shared similarities to Rand's, he helped launch the modern libertarian movement and advocated anarcho-capitalism. Rand's hostility toward libertarianism has continued in much of the Objectivist movement today, and some of it has spilled over into hostility toward Austrian Economics as such.

The Austrian attitude toward Objectivism is less uniform. Many Austrians appreciate Rand an important advocate of capitalism and are grateful for her advocacy of Mises' books, but consider her thought insufficiently rigorous to be considered philosophy. Others, such as George Reisman, have sought to combine Austrian Economics and Objectivism, as in his magisterial work Capitalism.

Professor Edward Younkins thinks its time for a détente if not a rapprochement. By looking back toward the Aristotelianism of Carl Menger and forward to a potential synthesis of Rand and Austrianism, he thinks he can break the impasse. If Austrians understand their Mengerian (and therefore Aristotelian) roots better, and if Objectivists do a better job of understanding Austrian methodology, perhaps some of the distrust that has placed these two schools at loggerheads can be broken.

A Convincing Synthesis of Two Major Defenses of Free-Market Capitalism.......2005-12-29

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the critical and inextricable relationships between the economics and the philosophy of the free society. Only a person like Younkins, who has a broad transciplinary understanding of the social order, could have written such an integrative work. The author expertly links the work of Aristotle, Menger, Mises, Rand, and others to argue in favor of the free society. Younkins persuasively argues that the study of human action, when properly grounded in natural law, reveals the connection between economics and morality. This book is consistent with his popular classic, Capitalism and Commerce, and offers a
powerful, emergent libertarian synthesis of tremendous promise.

A Great Follow-up to Younkins' 2002 Classic Book " Capitalism and Commerce".......2005-12-21

In this excellent, well-organized, and easily readable book, Younkins makes a convincing case that the Austrian value-free defense of capitalism and the moral arguments of Objectivism and the Aristotelian philosophy of human flourishing are complementary and compatible. In this thought-provoking book, Younkins presents 12 relevant essays from a variety of philosophers and economists and frames them within his own four insightful essays. His chapters alone are worth the price of the book! His first three essays clearly introduce the readers to the basic arguments of Menger, Mises, and Rand. Then, after presenting the 12 fine essays by other scholars, he provides a framework or architectonic of a potential Austrian-Objectivist paradigm for a free society. Younkins shows that no field is totally independent of all other fields and that there really no discrete branches of knowledge. He understands that any real truth is always compatible with other truths.

Book Description

Going Virtual: Distributed Communities of Practice contributes to the understanding of how more subtle kinds of knowledge can be managed in a distributed international environment. It describes academic work in the field of Knowledge Management, with a specific focus on the management of knowledge which cannot be managed by the normal capture-codify-store approach and hopes to answer the question, "what is the nature of the more `subtle' kind of knowledge and how can it be managed in the distributed environment?"

Book Description

Fascinating, profusely illustrated study of the human visual perception system explores the psychology and physiology of vision, including such topics as light and color, motion receptors, the illusion of movement, kinetic art, how we perceive size, how our eyes move, phantoms of the visual system, and more. Over 100 illustrations.

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Deceptions in art, nature and play
Lillian Silver
Manufacturer: Ontario Science Centre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Ophthalmology | Specialties | Medicine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007CAZHO

Average customer rating:

Illusion in Nature and Art
Richard Langton Gregory
Manufacturer: Macmillan Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 068414185X

Natural Likeness: Faces and Figures in Nature

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Natural Likeness: Faces and Figures in Nature
John F. Michell
Manufacturer: E P Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0525475842

Book Description

This timely and important book takes a serious view of our current economic situation. The author's conclusions differ from the conventional wisdom, which suggests that the manufacturing sector is regaining much of its dominance as a result of the declining dollar, that exports will take over as a major source of economic growth, that a recession is unlikely, and that a depression is no longer possible. Indeed, she outlines many similarities between the excesses of the 1980s and those of the 1920s which led to the Great Depression. The author provides convincing evidence that the recent economic recovery may only have provided a smokescreen for the continued deterioration of the U.S. economy.

The U.S. Economy in Crisis: Adjusting to the New Realities

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The U.S. Economy in Crisis: Adjusting to the New Realities
Pearl M. Kamer
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORD1ZU

Customer Reviews:

consulting company hype masquerading as book.......2002-06-29

For someone new to .NET, with a background in visual studio and perhaps MFC C++, the first half of the book is mildly helpful in introducing concepts of the .NET Framework. Some good code examples, but not enough explanation of key pieces of code. If Robison stopped here, this book would be rated fair instead of mediocre. My problem was that I found the second half of the book lacking depth and focus. Robison putatively leads the reader in developing a B2B app, but it morphs into an advertising brochure for the company he partners with in his consulting practice, Webridge. Robison does discuss the complexity of the infrastructure needed to deploy B2B: caching, context, authentication, document retrieval, but instead of elaborating on them, he plugs Webridge as the solution. This is where I feel [discouraged]. The quality and depth begins to fade here, just around the mid-point of the book. The illustrations begin to disappear. Whereas he shows Visual Studio .NET screen shots step by step, there a no corresponding screen shots for BizTalk or Webridge. He also gives up on trying to make Visio elements proportionate in his illustrations, and the effect is sophomoric. In terms of focus, the latter half of the book seems to be a collection of management/project tomes we have all seen and heard before, and appear disjointed from the very technically oriented first half of the book. His attempted metaphorical humor becomes wearing here with phrases like: "To make an omelet, the eggs can't be isolated", as one cliché is piled on top of another. Although I agree with the author that managers are doomed to extinction if they have no technical skills, I'm a not sure even managers would get much out of this book, since it does not seem to know what it really wants to be. Although my knowledge of .NET and B2B development is enriched, it would have been better if the first 100 pages were in a PDF document, because as a book, it doesn't work.

This books contains absolutely nothing worthwhile.......2002-02-26

This is the first of what promises to be a slew of new books coming out on "B2B Commerce with .NET".

Unfortunately, I found this book to be a very BIG disappointment. It is extremely general, has (at best) mediocre technical content, and its information is nearly useless. It offers no real information about B2B or .NET

The majority of the time I found the content poorly researched, superficial, or focused only on insignificant points. Clearly written in haste to catch the .NET bandwagon.

Average customer rating:
Implementing B2B Commerce with .Net: A Guide for Programmers and Technical Managers
Lyn Robison
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OOIXT2

Average customer rating:

Good Tips on Customer Service for Anyone in Sales

Crisp: Retailing Smarts Series: Explaining Features and Benefits, Workbook #5 (Retailing Smarts Series)
Crisp Publications
Manufacturer: Crisp Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Service | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Sales & Selling | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Investing | Business & Investing | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
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Specialty Shop Retailing: How to Run Your Own Store Revised

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Why We Buy: The Science Of Shopping

Exceptional Customer Service: Going Beyond Your Good Service to Exceed the Customer's Expectation

The Big Book of Customer Service Training Games (Big Book)

ASIN: 1560525703

Book Description

This book teaches sales associates how to explore and explain the features and benefits that customers care about most.

Customer Reviews:

Good Tips on Customer Service for Anyone in Sales.......2005-10-14

While Building a Continuing Relationship is tailored towards those in retail, anyone in outside sales can benefit from the book's tips in handling customer complaints.

The booklet's main theme is using the acronym "THANKS" in addressing customer complaints:

T - Thank the customer. By doing this, the customer is put at
ease and shows appreciation for his business.
H - Hearing the problem. Allow the customer to fully state the
and be prepared to be a good listener.
A - Apologize. By apoligizing for the customer being upset, you
are not accepting blame but instead are acknowledging the
customer's displeasure.
K - Know a solution. Find out what solution best satisfies the
customer.
S - Solve the problem. Resolve the complaint not to get rid of a
nuisance. Instead, take action to retain the loyalty and
trust of a valued customer.

In summary, a good and brief reminder of the importance of taking care of the customer in the sales process.

Average customer rating:

Explaining Features & Benefits

Manufacturer: Crisp Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1423950712

Book Description

One of the most widely-adopted sources for current and authoritative information for international textile and apparel economics. As the softgoods industry (textiles, apparel, and retailing) approaches the millennium, globalization is dramatically changing the way business is conducted; this valuable book prepares the reader to understand and to deal with those changes. Expands coverage of textile/apparel production and trade in Asia, Western and Eastern Europe, Central and South America, North America, Africa, Australia, and the Caribbean to provide a more complete view of the industry around the world.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent resource on industry structure, trade dynamics.......1999-06-09

As a financial professional looking to gain insight on the textile industry, I have found no other resource that discusses industry dynamics as well. The book provides a great overview of the domestic and international textile complexes, and is very thorough in its discussion of trends in international trade policies and their effects on each segment of the U.S. textile complex. I highly recommend it for anyone (particularly non-textile professionals) wishing to better understand this complex and changing industry.

Textile and apparel imports: The consumer's choice (Iowa & the global economy)

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Textile and apparel imports: The consumer's choice (Iowa & the global economy)
Kitty G Dickerson
Manufacturer: Iowa State University Extension
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Textiles and Apparel in the Global Economy

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Textiles and Apparel in the Global Economy
Kitty G. Dickerson
Manufacturer: Merrill Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8OXCE

Book Description

Major investment, export-import and other strategic business opportunities and contacts, basic information for conducting business in the country

Laos Business and Investment Opportunities Yearbook (World Business and Investment Opportunities Library)

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Laos Business and Investment Opportunities Yearbook (World Business and Investment Opportunities Library)

Manufacturer: Intl Business Pubns USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Exports & Imports | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Laos Investment & Business Opportunities Yearbook (World Investment & Business Opportunities Library)

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Laos Investment & Business Opportunities Yearbook (World Investment & Business Opportunities Library)
USA International Business Publications
Manufacturer: International Business Publications, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0739712918

Book Description

This yearbook contains information on investment business opportunities, international economic projects, tenders, government projects, marketing and export-import opportunities information.

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