Humanity and nature in economic thought: searching for the organic origins of the economy

Abstract

In Humanity and Nature in Economic Thought: Searching for the Organic Origins of the Econo- my, editor Ga ́bor B ́ıro ́ and seven chapter authors examine some of the organic ele- ments often neglected in economic theory. Spanning centuries, the book directly chal- lenges the prevailing quantitative perspec- tive and presents economic thought from an alternative qualitative perspective. It highlights notable figures in economic theo- ry such as Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Alfred Marshall, John Maynard Keynes, Friedrich Hayek, and the Polanyi brothers. With new epistemic propositions, the book explains how the economic concepts of these thinkers are influenced by human sensibili- ties, cognitive processes, and social charac- teristics. This break with the traditional quantitative paradigm foregrounds the qual- itative dimensions embedded in economic theories.