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Are Economists Amoral?
Author(s) -
Machan Tibor R.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
economic affairs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.24
H-Index - 18
eISSN - 1468-0270
pISSN - 0265-0665
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0270.1988.tb01539.x
Subject(s) - homo economicus , economics , neoclassical economics , positive economics , philosophy , epistemology
Economists have long based their analysis of the behaviour of the economic‘actor’as homo economicus, an individual maximising his or her own interest or‘utility’. Tibor Machan, Professor of Philosophy at Auburn University, Alabama, argues that this approach neglects important elements that condition economic activity — not least, the role of moral considerations.