内容简介

在线阅读本书

The Worldly Philosophersis a bestselling classic that not only enables us to see more deeply into our history but helps us better understand our own times. In this seventh edition, Robert L. Heilbroner provides a new theme that connects thinkers as diverse as Adam Smith and Karl Marx. The theme is the common focus of their highly varied ideas -- namely, the search to understand how a capitalist society works. It is a focus never more needed than in this age of confusing economic headlines. In a bold new concluding chapter entitled "The End of the Worldly Philosophy?" Heilbroner reminds us that the word "end" refers to both the purpose and limits of economics. This chapter conveys a concern that today's increasingly "scientific" economics may overlook fundamental social and political issues that are central to economics. Thus, unlike its predecessors, this new edition provides not just an indispensable illumination of our past but a call to action for our future.

作者简介

罗伯特·L.海尔布隆纳（Robert L. Heilbroner），美国著名经济学家与经济思想史学家，在经济学界享有盛名。。毕业于哈佛大学，社会研究新学院博士。曾担任社会研究新学院教授，美国经济学会副会长，并由纽约州人文学科会议提名为年度学者。

精彩摘录

中世纪时市场制度之所以无法想象，是有其确切和充足的理由的，那是对生产本身这一抽象的要素还没有构想出来。中世纪时既没有土地、劳动和资本这三者的概念，因此也就没有市场，既没有市场（尽管有许多丰富多彩的当地商业中心和巡回集市），社会就只能按风俗和传统习惯展开活动。由地主们发号施令，生产就按照他们的意旨而盛衰起落。当没有号令可以遵守时，生活就按固有的常规过下去。假使亚当•斯密生存在1400年以前，他就会感到没有必要去创立一个政治经济学理论。

——引自第21页

thestudyofeconomicsdoesnotseemtorequireanyspecializedgiftsofanunusuallyhighorder.Isitnot,intellectuallyregarded,averyeasysubjectcomparedwiththehigherbranchesofphilosophyorpurescience?

——引自第285页