Human Goods, Economic Evils
Book Description
In a world where economic thinking often reduces human beings to mere profit-seeking machines, Edward Hadas presents a radically different vision of our economic nature. Human Goods, Economic Evils challenges the dominant narrative that portrays people as purely selfish and materialistic creatures driven only by personal gain.
Hadas argues that this narrow view of human nature has led to equally narrow economic theories that fail to capture the full reality of how we actually live and work. Instead of being simple utility maximizers, he contends that people are fundamentally moral beings who seek to align their economic choices with their deeper values and sense of what is right.
This perspective transforms how we understand everyday economic activity. Rather than viewing commerce, work, and financial decisions as purely transactional, Hadas reveals them as part of humanity's broader moral journey. While acknowledging that human weakness prevents us from achieving perfect goodness, he demonstrates how our economic lives remain fundamentally oriented toward moral purposes.
The book offers both general readers and those involved in policy-making the intellectual framework needed to evaluate the ethical dimensions of modern economic systems. By returning economics to its more humanistic roots, Hadas provides tools for discerning what serves human flourishing and what undermines it in our contemporary economic landscape.
This thoughtful examination bridges the gap between spiritual values and practical economic realities, offering a path toward more conscious participation in economic life.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~9 hours)
📄 Length: 324 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore timeless philosophical wisdom
- ✓ Explore Economics
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects of Economics
- ✓ Explore Moral and ethical aspects of Economics
- ✓ Explore Sociological aspects
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Moral and ethical aspects
- ✓ Explore Business & Economics
