Then Athena Said
Unilateral Transfers and the Transformation of Objectivist Ethics
Published on 23. June 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
448 pages
978-0-7618-3519-6 (ISBN)
Description
According to Objectivist David Kelley, financier Michael Milken has done more for mankind than humanitarian Mother Teresa. Working from this statement, Then Athena Said examines Objectivism, a philosophy founded by Ayn Rand, and ultimately concludes, in opposition to essential claims of Objectivism, that other people are a fundamental part of reality. In making this claim, Then Athena Said reconsiders Objectivism's central social tenet, the Trader Principle, which dictates the bilateral exchange of value for value between independent equals; elevates "reproductivity" to be on par with productivity, Objectivism's central virtue; and derives a "heuristic" for charitable giving. Relying, in part, upon economic theory, decision theory under uncertainty, and game theory, Then Athena Said examines unilateral transfers-including charity, childrearing, bequests, retribution, gifts, favors, forgiveness, and various infringements against persons or property-within the Objectivist framework.
Reviews / Votes
Touchstone's work wonderfully combines economic theory's focus on 'what is' with ethics' focus on what one 'should do...' Then Athena Said is a well-thought out, well written and well laidout original book. The context is logical and systematic in order, and throughout the book the prose is direct and clear. * The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies * This is an invaluable book, making some genuinely original contributions to social philosophy, especially, Touchstone's argument that within the Objectivist framework other people ought to occupy a more significant position than Rand's work makes evident is novel and suggestive of important developments. The work should be of interest to both students and critics of Rand's thought as well as anyone who sees promise in a classical liberal, libertarian social and political philosophy. -- Tibor Machan, R.C. Hoiles Professor of Business Ethics and Free Enterprise, Chapman UniversityMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Lanham, MD
United States
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
722 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7618-3519-6 (9780761835196)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Kathleen Touchstone is an Assistant Professor at Troy University, Atlantic Region. She received both her M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from Florida State University and has published numerous articles in scholarly journals.
Content
Part 1 Preface
Chapter 2 1. The Basis for Objectivist Ethics
Chapter 3 2. Reproductivity
Chapter 4 3. Forced Unilateral Transfers and Retaliation in a State of Nature
Chapter 5 4. Decision-Making on a Desert Island
Chapter 6 5. Decision-Making with Two Players
Chapter 7 6. The Primary Social Unit (PSU)
Chapter 8 7. Rights: Positive and Negative
Chapter 9 8. Ownership
Chapter 10 9. Intellectual Property: Unilateral Transfers
Chapter 11 10. The Social Contract
Chapter 12 11. Value
Chapter 13 12. Productivity and Destiny
Chapter 14 13. Replacement Capital
Chapter 15 14. The Consumption-Saving Decision
Chapter 16 15. Ethical Decision-Making
Chapter 17 16. Charity
Chapter 18 17. Favors, Forgiveness, and Emotions
Part 19 Summary
Part 20 Appendix 1
Part 21 Appendix 2
Part 22 References
Chapter 2 1. The Basis for Objectivist Ethics
Chapter 3 2. Reproductivity
Chapter 4 3. Forced Unilateral Transfers and Retaliation in a State of Nature
Chapter 5 4. Decision-Making on a Desert Island
Chapter 6 5. Decision-Making with Two Players
Chapter 7 6. The Primary Social Unit (PSU)
Chapter 8 7. Rights: Positive and Negative
Chapter 9 8. Ownership
Chapter 10 9. Intellectual Property: Unilateral Transfers
Chapter 11 10. The Social Contract
Chapter 12 11. Value
Chapter 13 12. Productivity and Destiny
Chapter 14 13. Replacement Capital
Chapter 15 14. The Consumption-Saving Decision
Chapter 16 15. Ethical Decision-Making
Chapter 17 16. Charity
Chapter 18 17. Favors, Forgiveness, and Emotions
Part 19 Summary
Part 20 Appendix 1
Part 21 Appendix 2
Part 22 References