General

Re: Aristotlean ethics as praxeological?

Geoffrey Allan Plauché — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:45:09 GMT

Yes, I think so. That Douglas Rasmussen article might give you an idea of how it can be done.

Re: Aristotlean ethics as praxeological?

wombatron — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:15:42 GMT

So, would ethics (and, by extension, politics) by part of the general science of praxeology, in addition to economics, the theory of war, and the theory of games? How is the action axiom used to derive natural rights?

Re: Aristotlean ethics as praxeological?

wombatron — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:53:50 GMT

Thanks for the replies. The Long book was especially interesting.

Re: Aristotlean ethics as praxeological?

Geoffrey Allan Plauché — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:18:11 GMT

Also, you might check out the philosophy seminar Roderick Long gave a a couple of years ago on the Praxeological Foundations of Libertarian Ethics.

http://www.mises.org/upcomingstory.aspx?control=85

http://www.mises.org/media.aspx?action=category&ID=90

Re: Aristotlean ethics as praxeological?

Geoffrey Allan Plauché — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:29:40 GMT

Aristotelian virtue ethics is teleological or end-oriented. It recognizes that human actions fit within a means-ends framework and holds that human action must be understood as oriented to an ultiamte end which also serves as one's standard of value in ethics. This ultimate end is a complex and inclusive one that is composed of various final ends - goods and virtues - that are at the same time both constitutive means to it and expressions of it.

If you're interested in learning more about Aristotelian virtue ethics, particularly in its modern libertarian form and how natural rights can be derived from it, I recommend various works by Roderick Long, Douglas Rasmussen and Douglas Den Uyl, Henry Veatch, and of course Ayn Rand.

There are a couple of book chapters or articles online that will be particularly helpful:

Roderick has a book draft on his website titled Wittgenstein, Austrian Economics, and the Logic of Action. Check out Chapter 10 "Beyond Subjectivism: Socrates’ Praxeological Project" for his discussion on praxeology in classical Greek ethics.

Also, check out these two JLS articles by Douglas Rasmussen and Douglas Den Uyl respectively:

D.R. "A Groundwork for Rights: Man's Natural End" Vol. 4 Num. 1

D. D.U. "In Defense of Natural End Ethics: A Rejoinder to O'Neil and Osterfeld" Vol. 7 Num. 1

You could also check out my dissertation on my website. Only one chapter is online so far, but another should be up soon.

I hope this helps.

Aristotlean ethics as praxeological?

wombatron — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:01:52 GMT

gplauche, in a previous post you said

"As far as any connection with Austrian economics goes, there are two things I'd like to remark on: 1) the view of human action and of society in Austrian economics is compatible with an Aristotelian ethics in a way that the neoclassical view is not; 2) Aristotelian ethics is a praxeological science (albeit not a value-free or -neutral one like economics is touted to be)."

Could you elaborate on #2?