Individualism in Modern Thought: From Adam Smith to Hayek

Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.

ISBN: 9780415185240 | 0415185246
Cover: Hardcover
Copyright: 7/23/1998

Rent

(Recommended)

$155.02

Term

Due

Price

Semester

Aug 2

$155.02

Quarter

Jul 19

$147.27

Short Term

Jun 21

$139.51

*This item is part of an exclusive publisher rental program and requires an additional convenience fee. This fee will be reflected in the shopping cart.
Buy New

Usually Ships in 3-5 Business Days

$211.79
eBook

Available Instantly

Online: 180 Days

Downloadable: 180 Days

$41.46

This is a comprehensive survey of methodological individualism in social, political and economic thought from the Enlightenment to the 20th century, underlining the contrasts between collectivism and individualism, and their presuppositions and applications.

Preface

1 Introduction

(8)

The `abuse of reason'

(1)

Political economy and the discovery of unintentional order

(2)

The birth of sociology and intentional order

(1)

The `revolt against individualism'

(1)

The alliance against the open society

(3)

2 Bernard de Mandeville and Adam Smith: the theory of the `great society'

(32)

Man, a social animal

(2)

Needs and the division of labour

(2)

Can a `commercial society' survive?

(2)

The advantage of Ego and the advantage of the Other: the `invisible hand'

(4)

Ateleological development

(2)

Mandeville: the service rendered by others is always a means

(3)

Smith: the service rendered by others is always a means (on the principle of `sympathy')

(3)

`The Adam Smith problem'

(3)

The consistency of Smith's theory

(1)

Some conclusions

(10)

3 Which method? A question about the philosophy of the social sciences

(16)

Unintentional order and the individualistic method

(2)

The `individualistic' method makes clear the social link

(2)

The individualistic method and the errors of psychologism

(3)

Auguste Comte: the collectivistic method and the impossibility of the `great society'

(4)

Karl Marx: between politics and science

(5)

4 Durkheim and the application of the collectivistic method

(26)

Durkheim versus the `great society'

(3)

The state as independent variable

(4)

Durkheim and political economy

(3)

Is society a `sui generis' reality?

(4)

Society is not a `sui generis' reality

(6)

Between positivism and idealism

(6)

5 Is an `individualistic' reading of Durkheim possible?

(17)

The elements that justify an `individualistic' reading of Durkheim

(2)

Durkheim under the `individualistic' lens

(5)

Is it possible to reconcile Durkheim and Spencer?

(5)

Is it possible to reconcile Durkheim and Simmel?

(5)

6 Economists and sociologists compared: Carl Menger and Georg Simmel, Ludwig von Mises and Max Weber

100

(31)

Carl Menger: methodological individualism and `marginalistic revolution'

100

(6)

The `convergences' between Carl Menger and Georg Simmel

106

(8)

Ludwig von Mises: the theory of action in the development of Austrian marginalism

114

(4)

The `convergences' between Max Weber and Ludwig von Mises

118

(7)

Mises's criticism of Weber's quadripartition of meaningful action

125

(6)

7 The early Parsons: between sociology and economics

131

(35)

The `death' of Spencer and the expulsion of Simmel

131

(3)

The misunderstanding of the rational construction of preferences

134

(6)

In search of the `voluntaristic-creative' element

140

(6)

The problem of the `common system of ultimate ends'

146

(5)

The `sociologistic theorem'

151

(6)

The missing solution

157

(6)

Economic cost and social obligation

163

(3)

8 Conclusions

166

(8)

`Let us learn to be selves'

166

(3)

Sociology and economics

169

(3)

The task of the social sciences

172

(2)

Notes

174

(36)

References

210

(12)

Index

222

Please wait while the item is added to your bag...

FREE SHIPPING

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Individualism in Modern Thought: From Adam Smith to Hayek

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials