Dear Jim: The book is about how us economic theory to study noneconomic phenomena. Mostly micro.
Here is all the information from the publisher's web site: Beyond Profit And Self-interest Economics with a Broader Scope Robert Scott Gassler, Professor of Economics, Vesalius College, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium ‘Here is the book Léon Walras should have written, or would have written if he had also been Kenneth Boulding’s student. It is ingenious in content and wholesome in attitude. It combines neoclassical economics, departures arguably within neoclassicism, and varieties of heterodox economics, within the ambit of systems theory. It is only one of many possible combinations but it is rich and open-ended. Its attitude is especially striking. Gassler departs from the trap of unbending defense of the neoclassical hard core versus its equally unbending critique. He departs, too, from seeing orthodoxy and heterodoxy as either alternatives or supplements; he constructs a model that permits all to survive as tools in the art of economics. It enables economists to escape from many of their current impasses. The book needs to be widely read.’ – Warren Samuels, Michigan State University, US This book attempts to reformulate existing orthodox economic theory in order to improve its conversation with disciplines that have traditionally been seen as the domain of political scientists, sociologists, psychologists and even biologists, and to fit economics into the broader scheme of social science theory. Drawing on general systems theory, Robert Scott Gassler applies economic analysis to a wide range of social phenomena that incorporate motives other than profit or self-interest, such as altruism and non-profit organisations. He debates in depth the means, problems and advantages of adapting economic theory to new sets of assumptions, and of communicating this theory intelligibly to those in related fields. This book should not only be read by political and social economists, but is also accessible to those in the fields of education, health and non-profit administration, public affairs, and urban planning to name but a few. This book attempts to reformulate existing orthodox economic theory in order to improve its conversation with disciplines that have traditionally been seen as the domain of political scientists, sociologists, psychologists and even biologists, and to fit economics into the broader scheme of social science theory. Contents: Preface Part I: Theory 1. Scope 2. Method 3. Foundations 4. Taxonomy 5. Theory Part II: Applications 6. Individuals 7. Interactions 8. Organizations 9. Nonprofits 10. Processes 11. Sectors 12. Societies 13. Planets Part III: Summary and Conclusion 14. Conclusion Bibliography Index ---- Now back to me: In addition to altruism and nonprofits, examples include gift-giving, cooperatives, evolutionary and institutional economics, exit and voice, the internet, transition and development economics, Lenin's theory of imperialism, feminist economics, and ecology. Most heterodox approaches are woven into the fabric of the analysis. Scott >what's the book about, exactly? macro? micro? what is one of its major theses? > > >Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] & http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/~jdevine > >-----Original Message----- >From: Robert Scott Gassler [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 8:30 AM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [PEN-L] my new book > > > >Dear PEN-L: > > >You might be interested in my new book from Elgar: > >Robert Scott Gassler. Beyond Profit and Self-Interest: Economics with a Broader >Scope. > >It is out in Europe and will be out in the US in February (I guess that's next week). >Without a trace of modesty I'll reproduce the publisher's blurb > >"Here is the book Leon Walras should have written, or would have written if he had >also been Kenneth Boulding's student. It is ingenious in content and wholesome in >attitude. It combines neoclassical economics, departures arguably within >neoclassicism, and varieties of heterodox economics, within the ambit of systems >theory. It is only one of many possible combinations but it is rich and open-ended. >Its attitude is especially striking. Gassler departs from the trap of unbending >defense of the neoclassical hard core versus its equally unbending critique.He >departs, too, from seeing othodoxy and heterodoxy as either alternatives or >supplements; he constructs a model that permits all to survive as tools in the art of >economics. It enables economists to escape from many of their current impasses. The >book needs to be widely read." -- Warren J. Samuels > >Thanks. > >Scott > > >Robert Scott Gassler >Professor of Economics >Vesalius College of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel >Pleinlaan 2 >B-1050 Brussels >Belgium > >32.2.629.27.15 > > >
