Acton Institute Powerblog Archives

Post Tagged 'philosophy'

December 12, 2012

Is Distributism a Form of Capitalism?

Today at Ethika Politika, in response to a few writers who have offered, in my estimate, less-than-charitable characterizations of capitalism, I ask the question, “Which Capitalism?” (also the title of my article). Continue Reading...
December 10, 2012

Where Capitalism Ends, the Covenant Continues

As we reap the benefits of market exchange and observe the many achievements of free trade and globalization, it’s easy to give credit to the market itself, either ignoring or forgetting the supporting individuals, communities, and institutions who actively leveraged it for the common good. Continue Reading...
November 21, 2012

Acton Commentary: Sacrifice and Self-Interest

In this week’s Acton Commentary, I take a look at the relationship between sacrifice and self-interest. One of the common complaints against market economies is that they foster selfishness. But as Paul Heyne points out, it is crucially important to distinguish between self-interest and selfishness: “Many of the most eminent and sophisticated theorists in the economics profession make no effort to distinguish between self-interest and selfishness or between rational behavior and greedy behavior.” Continue Reading...
November 09, 2012

ResearchLinks – 11.09.12

Article: “The Ethics of Digital Preservation” Peter Johan Lor and J.J. Britz. “An ethical perspective on political-economic issues in the long-term preservation of digital heritage.” Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 61, no. Continue Reading...
October 12, 2012

ResearchLinks – 10.12.12

Panel: “Why Morality-Free Economic Theory Doesn’t Work” “Why Morality-Free Economic Theory Does Not Work: A Natural Law Perspective in the Wake of the Recent Financial Crisis.” The recent worldwide financial crisis has revealed a serious flaw in current thinking about markets and morals. Continue Reading...
October 11, 2012

Monday: Calihan Scholarship Deadline

Don’t miss out on your chance to apply for a scholarship for the spring 2013 semester! If you or someone you know would like to be considered for a Calihan Academic Fellowship, the deadline to submit application materials is Monday, October 15. Continue Reading...
October 09, 2012

Video: Do You Have Free Will?

At the online Prager University, lecturer Frank Pastore asks: “Do you have the ability to shape your own destiny? Is there a difference between your mind and your brain? Or is free will just a convenient delusion? Continue Reading...
October 05, 2012

ResearchLinks – 10.05.12

Call for Papers: “Economics, Christianity & The Crisis: Towards a New Architectonic Critique” The 2008 credit crisis is not only a crisis in economics, but also a crisis in the basic concepts and assumptions that underlie our thinking about economics, economics as a science. Continue Reading...
September 21, 2012

ResearchLinks – 09.21.12

Book Note: “As If God Existed” Maurizio Viroli. As if God Existed: Religion and Liberty in the History of Italy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012. Religion and liberty are often thought to be mutual enemies: if religion has a natural ally, it is authoritarianism–not republicanism or democracy. Continue Reading...
August 30, 2012

Abel the Righteous Entrepreneur

Check out this video, which is interesting on a number of levels (HT: James R. Otteson): Hazony points to some really important ideas in this short video. In many ways the culture war, so to speak, really comes down to a clash of worldviews about what work is and ought to be. Continue Reading...