The influence of hedonism on the formation of economic theory
The prime objective of this thesis is to show that contrary to the common belief of historians of economic thought, hedonism has played a central and a continuous role in the development of economic theory. In the process of showing this, the thesis starts with a brief examination of the origins of hedonistic ideas in the works of ancient Greeks. The next chapter Is concerned with the reappearance (after a long break of several centuries) of the basic hedonistic ideas mainly In the thought of Gassendi, Helvetius and Hobbes, and their subsequent introduction to the field of economics with the work of Bentham, Mill, Senior and Cairnes. The main elements of hedonism (although somewhat modified) were also observed in the economic thought of leading marginalist theorists, the subject matter of the fourth chapter, With the marginalist school, hedonistically based terms became central to economic theory and generally economic theory was characterized by an explicit hedonistic orientation. The fifth chapter discusses the attempts to downplay hedonism as found in the work of Wicksteed, Pareto and Fisher. The reasons for these attempts were the heterodox criticism and the increasing influence of positivist scientific
Drakopoulos, Stavros A.
Economics ; Hedonism
The influence of hedonism on the formation of economic theory. The prime objective of this thesis is to show that contrary to the common belief of historians of economic thought, hedonism has played a central and a continuous role in the development of economic theory. In the process of showing this, the thesis starts with a brief examination of the origins of hedonistic ideas in the works of ancient Greeks. The next chapter Is concerned with the reappearance (after a long break of several centuries) of the basic hedonistic ideas mainly In the thought of Gassendi, Helvetius and Hobbes, and their subsequent introduction to the field of economics with the work of Bentham, Mill, Senior and Cairnes. The main elements of hedonism (although somewhat modified) were also observed in the economic thought of leading marginalist theorists, the subject matter of the fourth chapter, With the marginalist school, hedonistically based terms became central to economic theory and generally economic theory was characterized by an explicit hedonistic orientation. The fifth chapter discusses the attempts to downplay hedonism as found in the work of Wicksteed, Pareto and Fisher. The reasons for these attempts were the heterodox criticism and the increasing influence of positivist scientific
influence formation economic theory prime objective show contrary common belief historian economic thought play central continuous role development economic theory process showing start brief_examination origins idea work ancient_greeks next concerned long break basic idea mainly think hobbes subsequent introduction field economics work mill senior main element although somewhat modify also_observe economic thought lead theorist subject_matter fourth school base term become_central economic theory generally economic theory characterize explicit orientation fifth discus attempt downplay find work fisher reason attempt criticism increase influence positivist scientific