Good books to compare soc/econ/jurisprudence?

October 27, 2005 10:55 AM

Philoso-Filter: Any books out there that act like a GEB of philosophy/sociology/economics/justice?

I keep seeing threads that knit Keynes (econ), Weber (soc), Kant (specifically deontological duty arguments), and Hohfeld (Duty based jurisprudence) together in odd places. I'm not that smart so I can't be the first to consider it. An READABLE works out there? If Ralws is included that would be a hoot. Don't refer me to Wiki, Wiki has already inspired this run down a rabbit trail (I should be studying Torts, or doing me job right now.)

posted by BeerGrin to religion & philosophy (9 comments total)

Is a GEB like GUT? I don't know your terminology. But I look forward to anybody's bright answers.
posted by zpousman at 11:39 AM on October 27, 2005

do you mean GED?
posted by goethean at 11:40 AM on October 27, 2005

I think he means "Gödel Escher Bach" by Douglas Hofstadter.
posted by vkxmai at 11:46 AM on October 27, 2005

I think he means "Gödel Escher Bach" by Douglas Hofstadter.
posted by vkxmai at 11:46 AM PST on October 27 [mark as best answer] [!]

Correct, sorry about the cryptic shorthand.
posted by BeerGrin at 11:48 AM on October 27, 2005

do you mean GED?
goethean

Nope. I'm past HS, I have my BA and I'm working on a JD.
posted by BeerGrin at 11:49 AM on October 27, 2005

I have not come across a philosophical author (nor an economic/sociological/philosophical/jurisprudential author) whose work is as massive, all-embracing, and playful as GEB. Except maybe Nietzsche, but that's not what you're looking for.

The closest I could think of is Alasdair MacIntyre's After Virtue, which at least starts with a story about the sociological and philosophical history of the Western tradition.

I also thought of Richard Posner, who's written lots of books like this about some mix of economics, ethics, and law.

These may not be quite what you're after, but maybe they'll help as starting points.
posted by gorillawarfare at 1:27 PM on October 27, 2005

after virtue is nothing like geb (not arguing with why gorillawarfare recomended it, but rather warning you not to expect much).

you're seeing those threads here?! or are they more abstract? maybe you should wirte a book.... posner has half a blog, incidentally (google it if interested).
posted by andrew cooke at 3:20 PM on October 27, 2005

I'm thinking of Robert Heilbroner's The Worldly Philosophers, but I'm an intro student, it may/ may not be as thorough as you'd like. There's also E.K. Hunt's Property and Prophets and Ankie Hoogvelt's Globalization and the Postcolonial World: The New Political Economy of Development.

I've found Heilbroner to be the most readable, and I hope he's written what you need.
posted by Anders Levant at 8:31 PM on October 27, 2005

Thanks Folks. Posner looks like a good core start. And andrew cooke ... I just might write a book, but since i've just begun seeing the threads I think I really need to do more research and book learnin'.

heres a nugget based in jurisprudence:
Hohfeld informed > Cardozo
Kant's Deontology informed > Hohfeld>Cardozo
Webers Gemeinshaft typifies>Kant>Hohfeld>Cardozo

Gemeinschaft - Soc. built on relationships
Kant - Social contract and Duty to fellow man/Soc.
Hohfeld - legal duty is relational ad defined gy those relationsips
Cardozo - Duty analysis in resolving Tort.
posted by BeerGrin at 6:24 AM on October 28, 2005