Since the virtues are both ends and means there is a confusion about how they fit into economics and so there tends to be an artificial separation between ethics and economics. But the virtues are at the same time undeniably means and therefore an important subject of study within economics - which is the study of the means to attain the ends. For example, creativity is a means and trustworthiness is a means, etc.
The divine economy theory opens a new vista in economic science because it critically examines and successfully overcomes the artificial separation of economics and ethics. If the economics that you are practicing does not make it possible to analyze human virtues as means to an ends then it is time to expand your horizons!
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Thursday, June 5, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
The Market Language Is Ethical.
The market is like a language that conveys information to everyone. Everybody consumes, so the voice that is heard most plentifully in the market is that of the consumer. That is good because if that voice is stifled or ignored then many, many ('the majority'; the 'masses') will suffer. The producers are relatively few but if they listen to the language spoken in the market they will hear what is wanted. Those that listen and then serve will succeed and will at the same time honor the sovereign voice of the consumer.
Those who oppose the market prevent the language of human communication and coordination from functioning properly and interfere with the advancement of social cooperation.
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Those who oppose the market prevent the language of human communication and coordination from functioning properly and interfere with the advancement of social cooperation.
Check out my new website: http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Monday, September 16, 2013
Two Human Virtues Resolve The Intellectual Property Issue.
Humility is one of the solutions to intellectual property: Ideas are drawn from the invisible and made visible. In other words the source is the first, not the latter. Since the source is invisible and incomprehensible it cannot be designated as mine or thine.
Another solution is magnanimity!
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Another solution is magnanimity!
Check out my new website: http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Ludwig von Mises Implies That Ethics And Economics Are Inseparable.
“Acting man is always
concerned both with "material" and "ideal" things. He
chooses between various alternatives, no matter whether they are to be
classified as material or ideal. In the actual scales of value material and
ideal things are jumbled together. Even if it were feasible to draw a sharp
line between material and ideal concerns, one must realize that every concrete
action either aims at the realization both of material and ideal ends or is the
outcome of a choice between something material and something ideal.
Ludwig von Mises, Human Action, Fourth Revised Edition (San Francisco: Fox & Wilkes, 1996), pp. 233-4.
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Whether it is possible to separate
neatly those actions which aim at the satisfaction of needs exclusively
conditioned by man's physiological constitution from other "higher"
needs can be left undecided. But we must not overlook the fact that in reality
no food is valued solely for its nutritive power and no garment or house solely
for the protection it affords against cold weather and rain. It cannot be
denied that the demand for goods is widely influenced by metaphysical,
religious, and ethical considerations, by aesthetic value judgments, by
customs, habits, prejudices, tradition, changing fashions, and many other
things. To an economist who would try to restrict his investigations to
"material" aspects only, the subject matter of inquiry vanishes as
soon as he wants to catch it.”
Ludwig von Mises, Human Action, Fourth Revised Edition (San Francisco: Fox & Wilkes, 1996), pp. 233-4.
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Thursday, June 27, 2013
Is Self-Regulation Effective?
Since the unhampered free market is what optimizes the flow of knowledge, part of that knowledge is related to how to improve social cooperation which then leads to a positive evolution of ethics. And as ethics advances, the strength and universality of self-regulation becomes better and better.
That is why the ultimate objective needs to be to educate the people of the world about the divine economy theory since it proves scientifically that the unhampered free market optimizes the flow of knowledge.
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That is why the ultimate objective needs to be to educate the people of the world about the divine economy theory since it proves scientifically that the unhampered free market optimizes the flow of knowledge.
Check out my new website: http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Friday, June 21, 2013
What Does The Equality Of Men And Women Have To Do With Capital?
Let's dissect the following description of capital:
The human potential is very great and when the full potentials of women are added to the full potentials of men the emergence of this unfathomable capital will be unbelievably transformative to the economy and to civilization.
Additionally the subjective perspectives of women will add a great new dimension to the capital. For example the subjective valuation of the time horizon varies among individuals but also between men and women because of their gender-related different perspectives. This is bound to have an impact on capital and the structure of capital.
Considering the present, overall repressed condition of humankind this improvement and releasing of human potential will create a great influx of new capital!
Ponder this:
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"Capital is about the interaction of humans with time. The human potential is very great and when an effort is made to explore and discover and nurture that potential by making some immediate sacrifice then capital is part of that human endeavor.
It is a natural and vital part of the human operating system."
The human potential is very great and when the full potentials of women are added to the full potentials of men the emergence of this unfathomable capital will be unbelievably transformative to the economy and to civilization.
Additionally the subjective perspectives of women will add a great new dimension to the capital. For example the subjective valuation of the time horizon varies among individuals but also between men and women because of their gender-related different perspectives. This is bound to have an impact on capital and the structure of capital.
Considering the present, overall repressed condition of humankind this improvement and releasing of human potential will create a great influx of new capital!
Ponder this:
"New capital advances productivity and then the development process begins."In other words, the well-being of humanity - its glory - is dependent on the equality of men and women and on their capital.
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Friday, May 3, 2013
Human Action - The Economic Sine Qua Non.
What is essentially human and what is essentially economic? The first part of the question traces back to natural law and from natural law the building blocks of economics were laid.
The closest resemblance to reality, however, along these lines of inquiry took place within the parameters of classical liberalism which combined the science of Aristotlean logic with the ethics of religious faith.
Concurrently what occurred historically was a deviation from apriori logic towards empirical observation and a deviation from apriori ethics towards moral relativism. This alternative view of the human reality and of economics played nicely into the hands of the State as it emerged during the epoch of nation-building (that had gone astray).
The science that fully embraces natural law logically recognizes the subjective nature of humans. This is Aristotlean. The science that embraces the ethics of religious faith essentially recognizes the spiritual nature of humans. This is the modern extension of classical liberalism and is known as the divine economy theory.
There is perfect compatibility and reciprocity and symmetry between human action and the economy and there can be no denying that without humans there is no such thing as the economy! Humans are unique creatures; subjective and possessing unique physical, intellectual and spiritual features and qualities.
How can all this be summarized? How is human action the economic sine qua non?
Human action is all-powerful. God is All Powerful. We are created in His Image.
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The closest resemblance to reality, however, along these lines of inquiry took place within the parameters of classical liberalism which combined the science of Aristotlean logic with the ethics of religious faith.
Concurrently what occurred historically was a deviation from apriori logic towards empirical observation and a deviation from apriori ethics towards moral relativism. This alternative view of the human reality and of economics played nicely into the hands of the State as it emerged during the epoch of nation-building (that had gone astray).
The science that fully embraces natural law logically recognizes the subjective nature of humans. This is Aristotlean. The science that embraces the ethics of religious faith essentially recognizes the spiritual nature of humans. This is the modern extension of classical liberalism and is known as the divine economy theory.
There is perfect compatibility and reciprocity and symmetry between human action and the economy and there can be no denying that without humans there is no such thing as the economy! Humans are unique creatures; subjective and possessing unique physical, intellectual and spiritual features and qualities.
How can all this be summarized? How is human action the economic sine qua non?
Human action is all-powerful. God is All Powerful. We are created in His Image.
Twitter @DivineEconomy
Check out my new website: http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Optimizing Ethics And Economics!
The flow of knowledge is at its optimal in an unhampered
free market (divine economy) and the development and evolution of ethics is at
is optimal in an unhampered free market (divine economy); and savings is optimal
(function of time preference associated with peace and prosperity) and capital
is directed optimally by ethically evolving individuals who are exercising their
entrepreneurial spirit in a world where knowledge is flowing at its optimal.
If
this doesn't solve any of the issues that you can think of - then it is for certain - that less
optimal means will not either!
If you know
of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty
and justice, please send them this link:
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Laissez-Faire Is Ethical Economics!
What precipitated this blog entry was this "The Only Fair Is Laissez-Faire."
A narrow mindset associates laissez-faire only with economics. And there is also a narrow mindset within economics that insists that the realm of ethics has to be kept separate. The consequence of such a mindset is a small understanding of something that is monumental.
This can also be seen in religion where something monumental is made into something small and very limited. The literalists - those who have constricted meaning into some small ego-driven interpretation - miss out on a great deal of the potential magnificence and probably end up influencing others, causing them to miss out too. Such a narrow mindset in economics is one of the reasons we are living in the Dark Ages of economics.
Why is laissez-faire "the only fair"? Of course without compulsion the choices made are voluntary; which is fair. But what also happens is the dynamics within a voluntary, non-coercive civilization is conducive to the natural evolution of ethics. And so not only are the voluntary choices in laissez-faire perceived as fair (and actually are) but the ability to ascertain what constitutes fairness is also evolving. Consequently, understanding of fairness is continually being refined and its expression within a laissez-faire framework advances civilization.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
A narrow mindset associates laissez-faire only with economics. And there is also a narrow mindset within economics that insists that the realm of ethics has to be kept separate. The consequence of such a mindset is a small understanding of something that is monumental.
This can also be seen in religion where something monumental is made into something small and very limited. The literalists - those who have constricted meaning into some small ego-driven interpretation - miss out on a great deal of the potential magnificence and probably end up influencing others, causing them to miss out too. Such a narrow mindset in economics is one of the reasons we are living in the Dark Ages of economics.
Why is laissez-faire "the only fair"? Of course without compulsion the choices made are voluntary; which is fair. But what also happens is the dynamics within a voluntary, non-coercive civilization is conducive to the natural evolution of ethics. And so not only are the voluntary choices in laissez-faire perceived as fair (and actually are) but the ability to ascertain what constitutes fairness is also evolving. Consequently, understanding of fairness is continually being refined and its expression within a laissez-faire framework advances civilization.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Voluntary Social Cooperation Is Part Of Natural Law.
Civilization advances best when knowledge flows
optimally. Of course there is never perfect knowledge nor is there uniformity
of understanding of the knowledge, both because of human differences but also
because other factors, since humans are not omnipresent or omniscient. That
said, when the flow of knowledge is optimal the development of individuals and
of society has great potential to be tremendously transforming. I can suggest
at this point that it is virtually impossible for us to envision the
possibilities. We have a difficult enough time to even envision the beauty of
an unhampered market economy.
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But when individuals and societies (and therefore
civilization) can freely enjoy the bounty of the optimal flow of knowledge the
ethics advances too. This combination of higher and higher powers of the
investigation of truth combined with ethical maturation will be a great leap
forward in the process of discovering laws. I am sure more natural laws will be
discovered and these will be understood more intricately but the enigma that is
pretty much understood only at an infantile level now - the human spirit, that
is, the associated laws of human action and human reality - will be discovered.
These are the laws that will be discovered and
voluntarily inculcated by all. Since these laws will be of a universal nature
and fully attuned to the spiritual reality of humans, the voluntary social
cooperation - to degrees that we cannot yet envision - will be understood as
part of natural law.
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
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Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Of Course Ethics And Economics Are Inseparable!
Look at any society and you will see certain characteristics and there will be certain patterns of life. For the lack of a better term we can call these characteristics and these patterns the culture of that society.
One characteristic that has economic implications is time preference. There are many different reasons that contribute to the time preference tendencies in a society, for example, war and inflation tend to increase the time preferences.
The time preference is a significant determinant of the amount of savings and the amount of savings represents potential loanable funds. At this point in the sequence a monumental segue occurs. The most limiting factor in the economy is capital and this is what the loanable funds convert into and then the transformation throughout the economy is activated.
In other words, the most limiting factor in the economy and that which activates the power of transformation is connected and linked to the cultural time preferences.
No one ever did nor will they ever claim that ethics is not a part of a culture. And now it is clear and evident that attempts to separate ethics and economics are unrealistic. Hence, science that separates ethics and economics is unrealistic. The proof can be seen all around us as the bad fruits of living in the Dark Ages of economics.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
One characteristic that has economic implications is time preference. There are many different reasons that contribute to the time preference tendencies in a society, for example, war and inflation tend to increase the time preferences.
The time preference is a significant determinant of the amount of savings and the amount of savings represents potential loanable funds. At this point in the sequence a monumental segue occurs. The most limiting factor in the economy is capital and this is what the loanable funds convert into and then the transformation throughout the economy is activated.
In other words, the most limiting factor in the economy and that which activates the power of transformation is connected and linked to the cultural time preferences.
No one ever did nor will they ever claim that ethics is not a part of a culture. And now it is clear and evident that attempts to separate ethics and economics are unrealistic. Hence, science that separates ethics and economics is unrealistic. The proof can be seen all around us as the bad fruits of living in the Dark Ages of economics.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Ethics, Rationality, And Subjectivity In An Imperfect World.
There is no pretend world where ethics and rationality and subjectivity can be surgerically separated and treated as separate phenomena and from which can then be gleaned something 'scientific.' These are interwoven and cannot be empiricized; but that does not mean that they cannot be studied scientifically or that science cannot advance. The first step is to adopt the scientific methodology that is capable of exploring these without any fictitious assumptions. The methodology of subjectivism allows the realism to remain in tact and uses logic to unravel mysteries.
Ethics is never perfect but it is relative and so it can be good or bad. There is a dynamic interaction of ethics with that of the imperfect world and both affect each other. The ideal environment for the dynamic processes to work together is when information flows in an optimal fashion which can only be achieved in an unhampered market economy.
And so ethics changes over time based on what is happening in the real world. The human minds in the world are focused on perceiving what is going on and figuring out how to respond. This is the rational mind at work.
In an inseparable manner the ethics of each individual is part of the filtering process that is going on during the perception and during the decision-making and this is specific to each individual. This subjectivity plays a role in the rational decisions made, with the outcome being reflected as a whole and becoming manifest as the imperfect world.
In an unhampered market economy social cooperation moves everything towards a higher degree of ethics because rationality is given greater clarity and because subjectivity is at a relatively mature level resulting from the last advancement of ethics. Sure the world is imperfect but each period is an improvement on the last because of the operation of the rational minds and the maturing subjectivity resulting from an advancing ethics.
Of course this is contingent on the flow of information which is optimized in an unhampered market economy. This is the process that necessarily occurs, according to the divine economy theory, if all ego-driven intervention is stopped.
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If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
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Ethics is never perfect but it is relative and so it can be good or bad. There is a dynamic interaction of ethics with that of the imperfect world and both affect each other. The ideal environment for the dynamic processes to work together is when information flows in an optimal fashion which can only be achieved in an unhampered market economy.
And so ethics changes over time based on what is happening in the real world. The human minds in the world are focused on perceiving what is going on and figuring out how to respond. This is the rational mind at work.
In an inseparable manner the ethics of each individual is part of the filtering process that is going on during the perception and during the decision-making and this is specific to each individual. This subjectivity plays a role in the rational decisions made, with the outcome being reflected as a whole and becoming manifest as the imperfect world.
In an unhampered market economy social cooperation moves everything towards a higher degree of ethics because rationality is given greater clarity and because subjectivity is at a relatively mature level resulting from the last advancement of ethics. Sure the world is imperfect but each period is an improvement on the last because of the operation of the rational minds and the maturing subjectivity resulting from an advancing ethics.
Of course this is contingent on the flow of information which is optimized in an unhampered market economy. This is the process that necessarily occurs, according to the divine economy theory, if all ego-driven intervention is stopped.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Ethical And Economic Social Cooperation.
Social cooperation to achieve the greater good is natural and ethical and the use of capital is extremely vital since it is the most limiting economic factor. There are always plenty of ideas but not enough capital to direct towards accomplishing them. Economics is the study of the best means to attain the ends which is helpful in deciding which ideas are given the capital needed to bring them to fruition.
In an ethical society the civilization is ever-advancing and this is because social cooperation is a source of both justice and unity, but not in some miraculous, instantaneous way. It comes about through the flow of knowledge and the best means for the knowledge of both the material and the ideal to flow is through an unhampered market process. It involves transformation which is also a part of the continual development of ethics over time.
Those who think that ethics is fixed and that their vision is the standard to be upheld simply ignore the dynamic processes that constitute an ever-advancing civilization. There are some certainties though and one is that ethics and economics are inseparable and when this is understood and respected social cooperation will be much more of a reality. Then the latent potentials of humankind will be brought to the surface.
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or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
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Sunday, December 9, 2012
Self-Interest: An Unscientific Middle Ground Stance In Economics!
Contemporary economic science is exhibiting the consequences of its own deceitfulness and/or ignorance! Because "economists" pretend that ethics can be and must be dealt with separately, economic science rots at its very core!
To avoid recogniton that humans make decisions subjectively and to avoid the adoption of subjectivism as the correct scientific method for the study of human sciences, economists have devised a middle ground stance and classify humans as making decisions that are in their self interest.
This is middle ground between regarding humans as inherently selfish and simply accepting that humans act subjectively.
You may ask: "What harm is there in this?"
It disregards the human right of individuals to make decisions along the spectrum of ethics even if those decisions are not perfect and it stifles the learning process that is all a part of the unfoldment of ethics in an ever-advancing civilization.
When "economists" classify these decisions as being made in self-interest it opens Pandora's Box. First of all, the "economists" who fail to honor the subjective nature of human decision-making have their own self-interest in being the "analyst" of self-interest! In their "judgment" it might be "better" and more in line with "self-interest" if decision A were made instead of decision B. In reality these "economists" are really just interventionists not economists!
To accept that human beings have the human right to make decisions subjectively would eliminate the 'economics profession' as it now exists because interventionism by those who pretend to know what represents "self-interest" would no longer be acceptable in the scientific field of economics.
Knowledge is unique to each individual and a person at a particular time or place cannot do any better than making decisions subjectively. One thing that is certain is that everyone benefits from social cooperation and so over time all subjective decisions will be modified (learning from earlier decisions). This is the natural process of the execution and the formation and the advancement of ethics.
But contemporary "economics" in these Dark Ages of economics will remain deceitful and/or ignorant until the inseparability of ethics and economics is recognized.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
To avoid recogniton that humans make decisions subjectively and to avoid the adoption of subjectivism as the correct scientific method for the study of human sciences, economists have devised a middle ground stance and classify humans as making decisions that are in their self interest.
This is middle ground between regarding humans as inherently selfish and simply accepting that humans act subjectively.
You may ask: "What harm is there in this?"
It disregards the human right of individuals to make decisions along the spectrum of ethics even if those decisions are not perfect and it stifles the learning process that is all a part of the unfoldment of ethics in an ever-advancing civilization.
When "economists" classify these decisions as being made in self-interest it opens Pandora's Box. First of all, the "economists" who fail to honor the subjective nature of human decision-making have their own self-interest in being the "analyst" of self-interest! In their "judgment" it might be "better" and more in line with "self-interest" if decision A were made instead of decision B. In reality these "economists" are really just interventionists not economists!
To accept that human beings have the human right to make decisions subjectively would eliminate the 'economics profession' as it now exists because interventionism by those who pretend to know what represents "self-interest" would no longer be acceptable in the scientific field of economics.
Knowledge is unique to each individual and a person at a particular time or place cannot do any better than making decisions subjectively. One thing that is certain is that everyone benefits from social cooperation and so over time all subjective decisions will be modified (learning from earlier decisions). This is the natural process of the execution and the formation and the advancement of ethics.
But contemporary "economics" in these Dark Ages of economics will remain deceitful and/or ignorant until the inseparability of ethics and economics is recognized.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Scientism Distorts; Even Those Using The Scientific Method Of Subjectivism.
Scientism is not only a false extension (inappropriately) into a field of study (as described by Fredrick Hayek in his 1952 Counter-Revolution of Science and reprinted in volume 13 of the Collected Works) but it is also even and again more subtle in its exclusion of appropriate science into its midst! Hence, for example, we see entrenchment and stubborn resistance towards subjectivism in the human sciences. I would venture to say that an even greater harm is done (and it is even done by those who recognize subjectivism) by claiming a false separation between ethics and economics. It is a 'scientism-like' attitude towards the new scientific advancements that clearly demonstrate that ethics and economics cannot be separated. What you get when they are separated is the mess that we see all around us - unabashed interventionism by the ego-driven.
The present-day economic problems cannot be resolved without using a scientific method that recognizes the inseparability of ethics and economics!
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
The present-day economic problems cannot be resolved without using a scientific method that recognizes the inseparability of ethics and economics!
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Saturday, November 24, 2012
There Is A New Advancement In The Divine Economy Theory.
Even though I frequently add comments that are stimulated by issues that come up in the current news and that these sometimes are new perspectives - maybe not thoroughly covered in the divine economy theory book series - these newly discovered advancements are not comprehensive.
The fact of the matter is that I am now in a marketing stage. From 2005 until the summer of 2012 I was dedicated to developing and writing the foundational literature of the divine economy theory. It basically 'came full circle' from macroeconomics to microeconomics to ethical economics to economic justice. Of course the science can and will continue to advance but my focus changed towards marketing the products and the theory.
But I encountered several inspiring and informative pieces over the last week and I also re-encountered an inspiring piece which when I encountered it in the past I missed its significance!
When I show you the very potent segment of the quote you probably will not recognize its import since I assume that you have yet to be familiar with the divine economy theory or to be able to deeply comprehend the foundation of the theory:
Initially I thought I could describe this advancement in a blog entry but the most limiting factor is the graphics capability of blogs. I have determined that an adequate description of the advancement will require modifying the narrative of the potency of 44 divine economy theory diagrams.
And so the main purpose of documenting this advancement is to make it known that - should I die before I have a chance to incorporate these advancements into updated editions of my books - there is an incredible new element that makes the divine economy theory even more exciting and applicable to the human action of purposeful spiritual beings.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
The fact of the matter is that I am now in a marketing stage. From 2005 until the summer of 2012 I was dedicated to developing and writing the foundational literature of the divine economy theory. It basically 'came full circle' from macroeconomics to microeconomics to ethical economics to economic justice. Of course the science can and will continue to advance but my focus changed towards marketing the products and the theory.
But I encountered several inspiring and informative pieces over the last week and I also re-encountered an inspiring piece which when I encountered it in the past I missed its significance!
When I show you the very potent segment of the quote you probably will not recognize its import since I assume that you have yet to be familiar with the divine economy theory or to be able to deeply comprehend the foundation of the theory:
". . . the love of God, the axis around which souls revolve in their way and supplication to God." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 363)Reducing it further; "the love of God, the axis around which" puts it into terms that make it interchangeable with the divine economy theory models. Once that becomes possible then the potency of the models increases exponentially and the thrill of contemplation and meditation on the manifold and resplendid meanings of these potent words begins to bloom.
Initially I thought I could describe this advancement in a blog entry but the most limiting factor is the graphics capability of blogs. I have determined that an adequate description of the advancement will require modifying the narrative of the potency of 44 divine economy theory diagrams.
And so the main purpose of documenting this advancement is to make it known that - should I die before I have a chance to incorporate these advancements into updated editions of my books - there is an incredible new element that makes the divine economy theory even more exciting and applicable to the human action of purposeful spiritual beings.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Are The "Scientists" Searching For Where Ethics Kicks In?
It is true that happiness is an ends and it may be the ultimate ends for individuals but ends like means have intermediary stages for whatever reason (primarily because humans do not have perfect knowledge - the world is one of uncertainty). And so humans make choices of means and ends (imperfectly) and they make them subjectively.
In many instances the means and the ends are closely associated and the distinction between them is fuzzy at best. Peace, for example, is an ends and it is a means. When 'economists' apply their arbitrary and artificial distinction between these - to examine the economic ramifications of choosing peace as a means (economics being the study of the means to attain an ends) - they are flummoxed by such a means! The closer the 'economist' is to being an empiricist the more flummoxed the 'economist' is! The fall back position is to stop the 'scientific' or more specifically the 'economic' inquiry and examination.
Has the limit been reached? Is that what everyone says and thinks? Is that where the literature seems to draw the line? Is going further nothing but metaphysics?
Well, I made a discovery and I used my technical training in classical liberalism to penetrate this fuzziness. No one has to accept this statement blindly. Nor should they discount it blindly!!!
The quest here is to see if ethics and economics are separable or inseparable? I have made an original and significant contribution to this quest - as a result of my own quest for a better understanding - and all I can do is to bring it to your attention (and the attention of whoever else is exploring this scientific realm).
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
In many instances the means and the ends are closely associated and the distinction between them is fuzzy at best. Peace, for example, is an ends and it is a means. When 'economists' apply their arbitrary and artificial distinction between these - to examine the economic ramifications of choosing peace as a means (economics being the study of the means to attain an ends) - they are flummoxed by such a means! The closer the 'economist' is to being an empiricist the more flummoxed the 'economist' is! The fall back position is to stop the 'scientific' or more specifically the 'economic' inquiry and examination.
Has the limit been reached? Is that what everyone says and thinks? Is that where the literature seems to draw the line? Is going further nothing but metaphysics?
Well, I made a discovery and I used my technical training in classical liberalism to penetrate this fuzziness. No one has to accept this statement blindly. Nor should they discount it blindly!!!
The quest here is to see if ethics and economics are separable or inseparable? I have made an original and significant contribution to this quest - as a result of my own quest for a better understanding - and all I can do is to bring it to your attention (and the attention of whoever else is exploring this scientific realm).
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Production Theory Has A Natural Law Foundation.
Production is an essential part of human beings by natural law. Humans aspire to be a creator since they are 'created in His Image.' Yet humans comprehend only this mortal world and therefore are subject to the constraint of time. As subjective beings they value time based on the cultural factors (say peace vs. war) and personal factors (alone vs. having descendents, as one example) which influences time preference which then provides the foundation for the capital structure of that society.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Ethical Economics Is What The World Is Crying For!
What would
attract more attention to economics is the removal of the artificial separation
between economics and ethics. Who wants to learn about something that is
divorced from ethics? It is no wonder that economics and economists are viewed
as irrelevant or even self-serving.
As long as economic
science pretends that this separation exists humankind will remain in the Dark
Ages of economics which is plaguing the world with the silly nonsense of the
imaginary world created by economists, all in the name of wertfrei.
Now is the time to discover the new
economic theory that is built upon the classical liberalism tradition. The
divine economy theory is the new economic theory that recognizes the
inseparability of economics and ethics.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomyIf you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Women & Men Equally Qualified To Study Divine Economy Theory.
It is an indisputable fact that women have been deprived of equal education
throughout history and that is the only reason for the differences between the
accomplishments of men and women. In a way that education gap is still a burden
for women because the starting point for women generally lags behind, requiring
exceptional determination and perserverence and courage to achieve equality and
the associated respect.
But the divine economy theory is new upon the scientific and moral horizon. There is therefore no head start or advantage for either man or woman.
This is extremely exciting news both in terms of justice and for the possibility of a social experiment. Will women excel and even prove to have a degree of superiority in the concepts and principles that constitute the divine economy theory? Will the societal transformation that results from the flow of knowledge that is explained in the divine economy theory demonstrate that the capacity of women is very great?
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
But the divine economy theory is new upon the scientific and moral horizon. There is therefore no head start or advantage for either man or woman.
This is extremely exciting news both in terms of justice and for the possibility of a social experiment. Will women excel and even prove to have a degree of superiority in the concepts and principles that constitute the divine economy theory? Will the societal transformation that results from the flow of knowledge that is explained in the divine economy theory demonstrate that the capacity of women is very great?
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Friday, November 4, 2011
Artificial Separation Of Ethics And Economics.
What people value about any ‘thing’ is its essence, for example, someone may purchase an item because it makes them more productive, or because it makes them more serene, or it makes them more beautiful. These qualities are what makes the ‘thing’ valuable and it is sought out by humans because these qualities are able to be perceived by humans. These qualities or virtues or attributes of God are foundational to value (in other words, that is why they are valuable) and therefore they are part of economic science unless, that is, there is an artifical separation between ethics and economics!
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Means and ends are not necessarily perfectly distinct and the overlapping of means and ends in the real world of human action makes it possible to separate economics and ethics only artificially since there is the intertwining of means and ends almost at all times.
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Monday, October 31, 2011
Empiricism Is The Plague Of These Dark Ages Of Economics.
Not only has the weakness of truth-seeking in this - the Dark Ages of economics - yielded a disjointed separation of ethics and economics but it has also resulted in economics being stuck in the rut of empiricism.
Sure, choosing an erroneous methodology for the study of economics diverts academic resources into the muck and mire of theoretical irrelevance, even despite the leeway to interpret in ways that serve the ego-driven interventionists. This institutionalization of this erroneous methodology and this ego-driven interventionism seriously magnifies the problem.
For example, as a consequence of using empiricism people are treated as data and the inevitable outcome somewhere down the road is that data can be manipulated or even erased. The senseless wars and bombings are evidence of the outcome of this kind of thinking, which can be classified as diseased thinking
The erroneous methodology of empiricism in human sciences is like the plague in these - the Dark Ages of economics.
Sure, choosing an erroneous methodology for the study of economics diverts academic resources into the muck and mire of theoretical irrelevance, even despite the leeway to interpret in ways that serve the ego-driven interventionists. This institutionalization of this erroneous methodology and this ego-driven interventionism seriously magnifies the problem.
For example, as a consequence of using empiricism people are treated as data and the inevitable outcome somewhere down the road is that data can be manipulated or even erased. The senseless wars and bombings are evidence of the outcome of this kind of thinking, which can be classified as diseased thinking
The erroneous methodology of empiricism in human sciences is like the plague in these - the Dark Ages of economics.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Ethics And Economics Are Scientifically Merged Together.
We have now entered into a new era in economic science. No longer are we stuck in the positivist mode. No longer is it ontologically necessary to stop at the intellectual capacity of humans. To see how ethics and economics have now been merged I suggest that you take a look at Ethical Economics for today and tomorrow . . .
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
True Economic Science Includes Ethics.
This phenomenon is unquestionably a result of a socialist mentality which is not unrelated to the ego-driven interpretation that occurs as a result of empiricism. And to go further, economics that is separated from ethics is unscientific since it removes the true nature of the human reality; with the consequence being a lack of validity, thereby opening the door wide for the ambitious ego-driven interpreters and interventionists.
That is why free market economics is more than laissez-faire. It is not just a principled argument, and in fact it is beyond mere intellectual argument because it is in its true nature a divine institution that is subject to corruption by any and all human economic intervention.
That corruption shows up as bad fruits such as the ones noted above with regards Gresham's Law of Manners.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
That is why free market economics is more than laissez-faire. It is not just a principled argument, and in fact it is beyond mere intellectual argument because it is in its true nature a divine institution that is subject to corruption by any and all human economic intervention.
That corruption shows up as bad fruits such as the ones noted above with regards Gresham's Law of Manners.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Empirical Economics Is Stagnant, Immoral and Approaching Death!
The birdbrain empiricists think that the answer to the objection to aggregates is to disaggregate. Mainstream economics can only achieve aggregation or disaggregation by removing the essence of the human being out of economics. Of course ethics, then, has no relevance, nor does justice!
Classical liberalism, Austrian economics, and the divine economy theory restore the human essence into the science of economics and at its cutting edge it also restores the inseparability of economics, ethics and justice!
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Classical liberalism, Austrian economics, and the divine economy theory restore the human essence into the science of economics and at its cutting edge it also restores the inseparability of economics, ethics and justice!
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Ethics And Justice And Economics Are Inseparable.
Ethics and justice are not separate from economics nor from other aspects of the human civilization equilibrium. Just as intervention corrupts and distorts the economy causing it to be a hampered economy with reprecussions extending out to affect everyone in the short run and in the long run, so too does the corruption of intervention poison the ethics of a society and make a mockery of the justice of a society.
The boneheaded empiricists and others who claim that economics is 'value-free' and then proceed to artificially compartmentalize the elements of human civilization into boxes labelled 'economics' or 'law'; these are the ones who promulgate fragmentation and fragmentation is what causes anxiety and other mental and spiritual illnesses.
The point being: 'human civilization equilibrium' sustains the human reality optimally. Human inquiry into its a priori functioning is valid as a science but human intervention (the finite mind messing with what is infinite and beyond finite comprehension) is purely arbitrary and ego-driven and harmful in the short run , the long run, and always in some way harmful to every human being.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
The boneheaded empiricists and others who claim that economics is 'value-free' and then proceed to artificially compartmentalize the elements of human civilization into boxes labelled 'economics' or 'law'; these are the ones who promulgate fragmentation and fragmentation is what causes anxiety and other mental and spiritual illnesses.
The point being: 'human civilization equilibrium' sustains the human reality optimally. Human inquiry into its a priori functioning is valid as a science but human intervention (the finite mind messing with what is infinite and beyond finite comprehension) is purely arbitrary and ego-driven and harmful in the short run , the long run, and always in some way harmful to every human being.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Ethical Rules Are Universal Within A Society.
The point being made here is that individuals know that it is improper to take on massive amounts of debt when it so happens that it is a proven fact that there already is more debt than can be handled properly. Acting according to this ethic individuals have to economize, cut expenses, work harder, or if that still cannot solve the problem then bankruptcy has to be declared.
These ethical rules apply to everyone or else society will break down. That is the danger of the unethical practices of the out-of-control State. It violates the ethical rules that society is built upon and that sustain social cooperation. This priviledged, unethical interventionism undermines society.
There is no moral authority for economic intervention. Statism is destructive and cannot in any way be allowed to exist in a society of peace, liberty and prosperity.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
These ethical rules apply to everyone or else society will break down. That is the danger of the unethical practices of the out-of-control State. It violates the ethical rules that society is built upon and that sustain social cooperation. This priviledged, unethical interventionism undermines society.
There is no moral authority for economic intervention. Statism is destructive and cannot in any way be allowed to exist in a society of peace, liberty and prosperity.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Can Immorality Out-Compete Morality?
I am in no way conceding that morality is guaranteed to lose nor am I saying that the immoral approach therefore necessarily out-competes morality.
We are a victim of the time that we live in and we think that it’s now or never! It may be that the State is winning the battle but it will lose the war.
I find my studies of Austrian economics inspiring and confirming and my subsequent economic theorizing sheds light on the intellectual foundation that is necessary for ideological change, and since I am an Austrian economist it must follow that Austrian economics does indeed provide a scientific foundation for ethical economic policy.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
We are a victim of the time that we live in and we think that it’s now or never! It may be that the State is winning the battle but it will lose the war.
I find my studies of Austrian economics inspiring and confirming and my subsequent economic theorizing sheds light on the intellectual foundation that is necessary for ideological change, and since I am an Austrian economist it must follow that Austrian economics does indeed provide a scientific foundation for ethical economic policy.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Boundaries In Ethics Are Not Limited By The Human Mind.
Even though humans are rational that does not necessarily mean that the only source of ethics is from a human mind. It is like our discussion about ideas coming from the invisible world and brought to the visible world, as a discovery for instance. That invisible world is far greater than a single human mind can comprehend but tidbits may be captured.
In the same way the human mind may contribute bits and pieces to the way ethics is applied in this world but that does not mean that the human mind is the source of ethics. To take that approach is analogous to trying to use empiricism to capture that which is subjective.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
In the same way the human mind may contribute bits and pieces to the way ethics is applied in this world but that does not mean that the human mind is the source of ethics. To take that approach is analogous to trying to use empiricism to capture that which is subjective.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Unity Of Ethics For All Professions And Occupations.
So it appears that our task is to bridge the intellect to the virtues and finally to the universal human reality.
It is part of the distinction of humans to have an intellect which can ignite and capture the spark of the entrepreneurial spirit - also described as 'seeking after truth.' Since all things in this contingent world are relative, so too is the degree of this quality (converting a latent entrepreneurial spirit into an active one) over time. Maturity is one word used to signify an optimal time.
Whether in deep contemplation or whether serving in a capacity of producing goods and services the human intellect will eventually come to the same realization - what constitutes value to humans is that which attracts humans. And further, what attracts humans are the virtues, the names and attributes of God, since humans are created in God's Image - attracted like a moth to the light. That is the origin of all value.
Since the objective ends of contemplation (lofty) and production (hands-on) are the same, neither can claim superiority. Relative superiority is only related to the degree of success in the mining of the virtues from the contingent world. A teacher may bring these virtues to the surface in a student. The virtues are valued. A business firm may produce a good or service that brings a virtue - beauty, for instance - to the surface. That virtue is valued.
There is no difference in station between the various ways that human beings bring virtues into play. The only distinction is how well it is done.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
It is part of the distinction of humans to have an intellect which can ignite and capture the spark of the entrepreneurial spirit - also described as 'seeking after truth.' Since all things in this contingent world are relative, so too is the degree of this quality (converting a latent entrepreneurial spirit into an active one) over time. Maturity is one word used to signify an optimal time.
Whether in deep contemplation or whether serving in a capacity of producing goods and services the human intellect will eventually come to the same realization - what constitutes value to humans is that which attracts humans. And further, what attracts humans are the virtues, the names and attributes of God, since humans are created in God's Image - attracted like a moth to the light. That is the origin of all value.
Since the objective ends of contemplation (lofty) and production (hands-on) are the same, neither can claim superiority. Relative superiority is only related to the degree of success in the mining of the virtues from the contingent world. A teacher may bring these virtues to the surface in a student. The virtues are valued. A business firm may produce a good or service that brings a virtue - beauty, for instance - to the surface. That virtue is valued.
There is no difference in station between the various ways that human beings bring virtues into play. The only distinction is how well it is done.
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Divine Economy Theory Is At The Cutting Edge Of Ethics And Economics.
'Economics doesn't judge your ends' nor does it judge the subjectiveness of your choice of means.
Economics provides insight into the best means to attain an ends but ultimately the choice still is subjective. After examining the economic knowledge an individual may subjectively decide that a means other than the 'optimal' one is the best. In case you haven't thought of it in this way it now becomes more obvious that the lines are blurred with regards means just as they are blurred with ends.
Since in reality ends and means, ethics and economics, are to a large extent inseparable, science has to advance along these lines and has advanced along these lines. Divine economy theory is at that cutting edge!
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Economics provides insight into the best means to attain an ends but ultimately the choice still is subjective. After examining the economic knowledge an individual may subjectively decide that a means other than the 'optimal' one is the best. In case you haven't thought of it in this way it now becomes more obvious that the lines are blurred with regards means just as they are blurred with ends.
Since in reality ends and means, ethics and economics, are to a large extent inseparable, science has to advance along these lines and has advanced along these lines. Divine economy theory is at that cutting edge!
Follow me on Twitter @DivineEconomy
If you know of anyone interested in ethics and economics,
or liberty and justice, please send them this link:
http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Thursday, April 15, 2010
'Foreword' to ETHICAL ECONOMICS For Today And Tomorrow.
ETHICAL ECONOMICS For Today And Tomorrow . . .
Foreword
It seems almost paradoxical that in a time when science and rationality are on the surge, when everything is measured, weighted, turned around, assessed in light of human physical and mental truths, someone by the name of Bruce Koerber decides to examine the economic problems of the planet beyond a visible, tangible, measurable and understandable horizon, in a dimension that scientists, engineers, economists, environmentalists’ do not dare to enter; a space where the finest and most intangible qualities of humankind emerge so powerfully.
Thousands of years have physically evolved human beings into its current status: beautiful and erect; millenniums of aesthetic and deep variations involving his whole being; and it has taken thousands of years for their intelligence to become as brilliant as it is now: millenniums of clashes between cultures, between different life styles and philosophies explaining the meaning of life and knowledge.
The times we live in are certainly times of transition from a life style based on “separations” and one which will have to be lived on fundamentals of “integration”. “Separations” between races, belief systems, ways of thinking, life-styles, customs, arts, sciences and “integrations” towards a planet on the way to becoming “one country” which should align its citizens towards a new vision that we can define as “integrated” or perhaps better reflected by the expression “ unity in diversity”.
From the scientific point of view it is now commonly accepted that no topic can be explored by a single scientific branch, as this used to be the “usual way of conducting things” which has produced “contradictions and troubles” and it should therefore be replaced by a new way of working known as “interdisciplinarity of sciences and their integration”.
Meaning that every problem in our universe should be seen from an interdisciplinary perspective, which is with the contribution of all sciences.
Yet this isn’t enough. We should add to this interdisciplinary contribution what derives from man’s “intangible” assets, which include his inner qualities, talents and spiritual gems.
Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, said in the second half of the eighteenth century: “Man is a mine rich in gems of inestimable value”. Among these gems we find intellectual and spiritual ones. Only through an integration of the latter can we finally enter a stage of maturity for humankind, where physical, scientific, economic and spiritual aspects will give an integrated vision of development and of the remedies for the mistakes that have been made in the past and that today we keep making, due to a lack of multidisciplinary vision.
Mr Koerber’s text offers a contribution to this new multidisciplinary vision: a contribution that brings the divine into a dry science such as economics. We certainly live in a time where it may seem like God has forgotten or, even, forsaken this planet.
Never have we been so far from a concept of life aligned with spirituality, never before have human beings been so far from the divine and instead devoting their lives mainly towards accumulating wealth, to use and satisfy one’s selfish desires. Never before has our planet witnessed such a major contradiction: the very rich on one side and the destitute on the other. A thick and tall wall divides these two categories of people, the rich being the minority, against the vast majority of the poor.
A wall that produces a distorted development where the masses of the world sink deeper and deeper into the dark abysses of hunger and misfortune, while limitless riches, which Pharaohs and Caesars or imperialistic powers of the last century have never dreamt of, are accessible to just a few managers of human affairs.
This increasingly tall and thick wall is the wall of modern economy. The last financial crisis confirmed once again how this barricade is not being affected and how rock-solid it remains.
It is instead a pressing necessity to bring back the science of economy to a wider, more holistic, more ethical, fairer vision that favours humankind.
Bruce Koerber has written an essay that addresses this issue, introducing the divine in economic science, allowing economics to re-emerge in all its power focused towards a balanced development of society.
It is a brave text, it goes against the trend, a contribution, an experiment, a project that allows the reader to reflect on this new perspective, a contribution rich with innovative ideas, which, if followed, will enable the rise of a new vision of “true knowledge”, which will contribute to the betterment of living conditions on this planet.
Giuseppe Robiati
Business Leader, Lecturer, and Author
Milan, Italy
March 20, 2010
Check out my new website: http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
Foreword
It seems almost paradoxical that in a time when science and rationality are on the surge, when everything is measured, weighted, turned around, assessed in light of human physical and mental truths, someone by the name of Bruce Koerber decides to examine the economic problems of the planet beyond a visible, tangible, measurable and understandable horizon, in a dimension that scientists, engineers, economists, environmentalists’ do not dare to enter; a space where the finest and most intangible qualities of humankind emerge so powerfully.
Thousands of years have physically evolved human beings into its current status: beautiful and erect; millenniums of aesthetic and deep variations involving his whole being; and it has taken thousands of years for their intelligence to become as brilliant as it is now: millenniums of clashes between cultures, between different life styles and philosophies explaining the meaning of life and knowledge.
The times we live in are certainly times of transition from a life style based on “separations” and one which will have to be lived on fundamentals of “integration”. “Separations” between races, belief systems, ways of thinking, life-styles, customs, arts, sciences and “integrations” towards a planet on the way to becoming “one country” which should align its citizens towards a new vision that we can define as “integrated” or perhaps better reflected by the expression “ unity in diversity”.
From the scientific point of view it is now commonly accepted that no topic can be explored by a single scientific branch, as this used to be the “usual way of conducting things” which has produced “contradictions and troubles” and it should therefore be replaced by a new way of working known as “interdisciplinarity of sciences and their integration”.
Meaning that every problem in our universe should be seen from an interdisciplinary perspective, which is with the contribution of all sciences.
Yet this isn’t enough. We should add to this interdisciplinary contribution what derives from man’s “intangible” assets, which include his inner qualities, talents and spiritual gems.
Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, said in the second half of the eighteenth century: “Man is a mine rich in gems of inestimable value”. Among these gems we find intellectual and spiritual ones. Only through an integration of the latter can we finally enter a stage of maturity for humankind, where physical, scientific, economic and spiritual aspects will give an integrated vision of development and of the remedies for the mistakes that have been made in the past and that today we keep making, due to a lack of multidisciplinary vision.
Mr Koerber’s text offers a contribution to this new multidisciplinary vision: a contribution that brings the divine into a dry science such as economics. We certainly live in a time where it may seem like God has forgotten or, even, forsaken this planet.
Never have we been so far from a concept of life aligned with spirituality, never before have human beings been so far from the divine and instead devoting their lives mainly towards accumulating wealth, to use and satisfy one’s selfish desires. Never before has our planet witnessed such a major contradiction: the very rich on one side and the destitute on the other. A thick and tall wall divides these two categories of people, the rich being the minority, against the vast majority of the poor.
A wall that produces a distorted development where the masses of the world sink deeper and deeper into the dark abysses of hunger and misfortune, while limitless riches, which Pharaohs and Caesars or imperialistic powers of the last century have never dreamt of, are accessible to just a few managers of human affairs.
This increasingly tall and thick wall is the wall of modern economy. The last financial crisis confirmed once again how this barricade is not being affected and how rock-solid it remains.
It is instead a pressing necessity to bring back the science of economy to a wider, more holistic, more ethical, fairer vision that favours humankind.
Bruce Koerber has written an essay that addresses this issue, introducing the divine in economic science, allowing economics to re-emerge in all its power focused towards a balanced development of society.
It is a brave text, it goes against the trend, a contribution, an experiment, a project that allows the reader to reflect on this new perspective, a contribution rich with innovative ideas, which, if followed, will enable the rise of a new vision of “true knowledge”, which will contribute to the betterment of living conditions on this planet.
Giuseppe Robiati
Business Leader, Lecturer, and Author
Milan, Italy
March 20, 2010
Check out my new website: http://bruce-koerber.squarespace.com
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