A01=George Bragues
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Ancient philosophy
Author_George Bragues
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Capitalism
Category1=Non-Fiction
Category=JPA
Category=K
Category=KJ
Cicero
COP=United States
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Free markets
Human excellence
Human flourishing
Language_English
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Political Economy
Political Philosophy
Price_€100 and above
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Social Cooperation
softlaunch
Product details
- ISBN 9781498529730
- Weight: 544g
- Dimensions: 157 x 239mm
- Publication Date: 28 Jul 2017
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Hardback
- Language: English
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This book offers a distinctive moral defense of capitalism. Unlike most such defenses, this book avoids the summoning of concepts and ideas drawn from the modern philosophical tradition that arose out of the 17th–18th century Enlightenment. It rejects the idea of supporting capitalism on the grounds of self-ownership, human dignity, property rights, social utility, or a social contract. Confidence in the power of human reason to demonstrate any of these notions has waned since the Enlightenment, and justifiably so. Capitalism stands in desperate need of different philosophic foundations. This book’s thesis is that capitalism can be more sturdily defended on a pre-modern basis. Adopting the ancient Roman philosopher Cicero as a guide, this book acknowledges the limits of human reason. It applies the ancient skepticism that Cicero represents, a school of thought that teaches us to be content with probabilities and to focus upon the practical dimensions of human existence. Philosophical inquiry is best directed to the task of identifying the means of securing both life and the good life for human beings. As such, this book stresses the overriding importance of maintaining social co-operation and advancing human excellence. It argues that capitalism satisfies both these imperatives.
George Bragues is assistant vice-provost and program head of business at the University of Guelph-Humber.
