tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257030722943633826.post1314845078322773707..comments2023-06-06T11:26:17.743+01:00Comments on A Areia dos Dias: Uma Economia (mais ou menos) Católica?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257030722943633826.post-1650848870679307362011-01-21T21:50:48.268+00:002011-01-21T21:50:48.268+00:00Este comentário "andou perdido", pelo qu...<b>Este comentário "andou perdido", pelo que o Areia dos Dias pede desculpas à autora Maria José Melo Antunes.</b> :) <br /><br /><i><br />In reading Mário Murteira's excellent post, I am reminded of how the focus on mathematics and modeling has impoverished the economic discipline, which began as a sub-set of philosophy. <br /><br />Adam Smith was appropriated (some would say hijacked) by free market liberals to defend unfettered markets: the ‘invisible hand’ in The Wealth of Nations, explaining that each person maximizing individual self-interest would lead to a better world for all. But we see that this has not happened; on the contrary…<br /><br />Self-interest as practiced in the market goes often beyond self-interest to deprivation of others’ due in order to maximize one’s own. This is an important cause of our current crisis.<br /><br />Free market liberals also neglected to add that Smith believed in the human capacity for ‘sympathy’ and societal predisposition for human goodness: The Theory of Moral Sentiments (his first book). He was first and foremost a moral philosopher and he believed in common sense. <br /><br />The foundation of all virtue for Smith is ‘self-command,’ the ability to control our feelings, to restrain our passion for our own interests and to enhance our feelings for others. Self-command requires empathy; it is not self-indulgence.<br /><br />The other great economist, John Maynard Keynes, also engaged in philosophical debate. He stated: In economics, there are two components, mathematical models and vigilant observation. Economists have forgotten to observe vigilantly the human condition.<br /><br />Fortunately (or unfortunately, for the crisis), there is now a renewed interest in behavioral economics. Daniel Kahneman, psychologist and Nobel laureate 2002 in Economics, is known among other research for his study on happiness, which is becoming increasingly debated in the field of Economics. The UK announced in November, 2010, that it will incorporate a Happiness Index in its national reports.<br /><br />Next should come an important debate: what is the cause of happiness? Increased material wealth, a focus of today's society, or Aristotle's 'eudaimonia,' the state of a good indwelling spirit? For Aristotle, this was the purpose of life. How far is that from today's numbers?</i><br />- Maria José Melo AntunesAreia dos Dias [Administração]https://www.blogger.com/profile/10185946387928378067noreply@blogger.com