| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology / Department of Humanities & Social Sciences / K. Christ |
| RH351: Rhetoric of Economic Thought |
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| This course surveys the history of economic thought by exploring secondary and original source material from historical, methodological and rhetorical points of view. |
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Click here for a
syllabus for Spring 2008.
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Click here for an old extended bibliography for this course. Click here for K. Christ's homepage |
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Sources / Links:
History of Economic Thought at New School
Roy's History of Economic Thought Page
William Barber, A History of Economic Thought
Transparencies used in class:
Course Schedule, Spring 2008
| Week | Date | Topic | Readings / Links |
| 1 | Mar. 3 | Introduction | Heilbroner, I |
| Mar. 4 | Intellectual history and social science | Hausman, especially pp. 28 - 36 | |
| Mar. 6 | Precursors to systematic economic thought | Heilbroner, II | |
| Mar. 7 | Readings discussion 1: Ancient musings |
Leviticus, chapter 25 Aristotle, Ethics, Book 5, chapters 3 - 5; Politics, Book 1, chapters 3 - 10 Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part: Q66 Article 1; Q66, Article 2; Q77, Article 1; Q78, All 4 articles. |
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| 2 | Mar. 10 | The "great gap" and the "great transformation" | Hirschman, Part One |
| Mar. 11 | Mercantilism, the Physiocrats, early social science | Hirschman, Parts Two and Three | |
| Mar. 13 | Readings discussion 2: Pre-classical economics | Mandeville, The Grumbling Hive | |
| Mar. 14 | In-class writing 1 | ||
| 3 | Mar. 17 | Adam Smith | Heilbroner, III |
| Mar 18 | Classical Economics: Ricardo, Malthus, Mill | Heilbroner, IV | |
| Mar. 20 | Readings discussion 3: Smith | Smith, The Wealth of Nations, Book 1, chapters 1 - 7 | |
| Mar. 21 | Readings discussion 4: Ricardo, Mill |
Ricardo, Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, chapters 4
- 5 Mill, Principles of Political Economy, Book 3: chapters 1, 2, 14; Book 4: chapter 6 |
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| 4 | Mar. 24 | Karl Marx | Heilbroner, V |
| Mar. 25 | Socialism, Utopian and Scientific | Heilbroner, VI | |
| Mar. 27 | Readings discussion 5: Socialism and planning | Marx,
The Communist Manifesto Marx, selections from Das Kapital Hayek, The Road to Serfdom: chapter 4 [condensed version, pp 39+] |
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| Mar. 28 | In-class writing 2 | ||
| 5 | Apr. 7 | Marginalism and neoclassical economics | Heilbroner, VII; Wikipedia: Edgeworth-Bowley Box |
| Apr. 8 | Alternative voices | Heilbroner, VIII | |
| Apr. 10 | Readings discussion 6: Marginalism | Jevons, selections from
The Theory of Political Economy Marshall, "The Present Position of Economics" and selections from The Principles of Economics |
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| Apr. 11 | Readings discussion 7: Institutionalism | Veblen, "The Limitations of Marginal Utility" | |
| 6 | Apr. 14 | Keynes and Keynesianism | Heilbroner, IX |
| Apr. 15 | The Keynesian crisis and modern macroeconomics | Heilbroner, X; Edmund Phelps, "Our Uncertain Economy," Wall Street Journal, 14 March 2008 | |
| Apr. 17 | Readings discussion 8: Keynes and Keynesianism | Keynes,
"The end of
laissez-faire", and selections from
The General Theory "A Stimulating Notion," The Economist, February 16, 2008 Selections from Samuelson, Economics -- An Introductory Analysis [Handout] |
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| Apr. 18 | In-class writing 3 | ||
| 7 | Apr. 21 | Economic formalism | |
| Apr. 22 | Empirical economics and current trends | ||
| Apr. 24 | Readings discussion 9: Formalism and Upheaval | Arrow,
Social Choice
and Individual Values Debreu, Theory of Value Lucas, "Econometric Policy Evaluation: A Critique" [Handout] |
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| Apr. 25 | Readings discussion 10: Friedman | Friedman, selections from Capitalism and Freedom [Handout] | |
| 8 | Apr. 28 | Welfare economics and policy | Sen, On Ethics & Economics |
| Apr. 29 | TBD | ||
| May 1 | Readings discussion 11: Economics and ethics | Sen, On Ethics & Economics | |
| May 2 | In-class writing 4 | ||
| 9 | May 5 | Student research paper conferences (no class) | Sample annotated outline |
| May 6 | Philosophy of science and economics | Heilbroner, XI; Wikipedia Portal: Philosophy of Science | |
| May 8 | Readings discussion 12: Economic methodology | Friedman,
"The Methodology of
Positive Economics" McCloskey, "The Rhetoric of Economics" |
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| May 9 | Examination | ||
| 10 | May 12 | Student research paper presentations | |
| May 13 | Student research paper presentations | ||
| May 15 | Student research paper presentations | ||
| May 16 | Student research paper presentations |