Handbook of Teaching Philosophy to Economists

Reviews / Votes

'Philosophy of economics has expanded enormously in recent years but left economic teaching untouched. This volume breathes philosophy into economic pedagogy by examining their various relationships as well as by offering practical suggestions for their systematic integration. It is an original and insightful book that will be part of our discussions for decades.' -- D. Wade Hands, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, USA 'The economists, those "worldly philosophers," cling to childish ideas about method, rhetoric, philosophy. They think that Friedman and Samuelson around 1950 said it all. Simple, and simple-minded. Grow up, dears: get this Handbook into your hands, and your teaching.' -- Deirdre McCloskey, University of Illinois Chicago, USA 'This Handbook promotes the critical and reflective capacities which economists can acquire from philosophy. The first set of chapters addresses the important contribution that different types of philosophy can make to understanding economics, including articulating the philosophical positions already implicit in economic theorising, while the second set provides a wealth of ideas as to how to incorporate philosophy into the economics curriculum.' -- Sheila Dow, University of Stirling, UK 'The editors of this volume must be credited for putting together the contributions of scholars with a plurality of cultural backgrounds. The outcome is a jargon-free book that will capture the attention of anyone seriously interested in triggering off a deliberate process of reconfiguration of present-day economic systems. Handbook of Teaching Philosophy to Economists argues that the insistence, over the last few decades, of mainstream economics with the efficient allocation of resources has cannibalized the discipline, since efficiency in resource allocation always has the potential to compromise genuine effectiveness in the achievement of goals such as public happiness, social justice, positive freedom.' -- Stefano Zamagni, University of Bologna, Italy 'Philosophy and economics have become increasingly integrated in undergraduate and post-graduate PPE programmes around the world. And yet we lack a deep, informed analysis of the challenges that this interdisciplinary pedagogy presents to students and teachers alike. This volume finally fills the gap, offering a wide range of conceptual reflections and practical advice that will help us to design better degrees and courses in the years to come.' -- Francesco Guala, University of Milan, Italy