ETHICS and ECONOMICS: DEPARTURE in JUSTIFICATION

Abstract

Economics, in mainstream textbooks, is defined as an optimization science. That means that it tries the find the ways in which endless needs and wants are met by limited resources. Where does the traditional economics reach by starting with “homo economicus” and “ceteris paribus”? Where is and how much the ethics take place in the adventure of economics. May be it is better to ask this question that way: Must economics contain ethics? Otherwise is it independent from ethics? It is clear that there is no place for ethics in Orthodox Economics. If there is one, it must be the ethics of interest. Ethics is related with “other”. Every threats, manors or activities affecting “other” have inevitable relations with ethics. In this study, first the relation between the transformation of the science of economics and phase of capitalism will be inspected then, the basic postulates of Orthodox economics and its problems caused by itself will be discussed. Finally, the reasons of high tensioned relation between ethics and economics will be betrayed.

Keywords

• Ethics of economic, Orthodox economics, ethics

References

1. Alvey, James E. (2005), “Overcoming Pozıtıvızm in Economics: Amartya Sen’s Project of
2. İnfusing Ethics into Economics”, Massey University, Discussion Paper No:05-03.Data of reach: http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/23702/1/dp050003.pdf, Accessed 25.05.2009.
3. Clark, John A. (1956), “Ethics and the Social Sciences”, The Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. (April, pp. 121-135
4. Denis, Henri (1973); Ekonomik Doktrinler Tarihi I, Translated by: Attila Tokatlı, Sosyal
5. Publications, İstanbul. Dowd, Douglas (2008); (Translated by: Cihan Gerçek); Kapitalizm ve Kapitalizmin İktisadı,
6. Yordam Kitap, Istanbul. Durusoy, Serap; “İktisat Biliminin Yeri ve Yöntemi Neden Sorgulanıyor?”, Uluslararası İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi (the journal), Cilt: 5, Sayı:1, 2008. Date of reach: http://www.insanbilimleri.com, Accessed 23.08.2008.
7. Ercan, Fuat (1998); Toplumlar ve Ekonomiler, Sarmal Publisher, İstanbul.
8. Erol, Ümit (1997); Eleştirel Bir Gözle Serbest Piyasa, Bağlam Publications, Istanbul.

9. Güvel, E. Alper (1998); Politik İktisat ve Akıl, Alfa Publisher, Istanbul.
10. Hanedar, Avni Önder (2007) İktisat Bilimi Ve Metodolojik Bir Sınama:Nitel Ve Nicel Teknikler
11. Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme, DEÜ SBE, Unpublished MA Dissertation , Izmir. Hausman, Daniel M. (1984); “Philosophy and Economic Methodology”, Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association, Vol. 1984, Volume Two: Symposia and Invited Papers, pp. 231-249
12. Hausman, Daniel M., McPherson, Michael S. (1993); “Taking Ethics Seriously: Economics and Contemporary Moral Philosophy”, Journal of Economic Literature, Vol:XXXI, June, pp.671-731.
13. İnsel, Ahmet (2000), “Özgürlük Etiği Karşısında İktisat Kuramı”, The Conference of Economics th Edition, METU, 13-16 September, Ankara.
14. İnsel, Ahmet (2003); İktisat İdeolojisinin Eleştirisi, Birikim Publications, Istanbul.
15. İşgüden, Tamer, Köne, Aylin Çiğdem (2002); “Ortodoks İktisat Üzerine Notlar”, Doğuş
16. Üniversitesi Dergisi (the journal), (5), 97-108. Kazgan, Gülten (1997), İktisadi Düşünce veya Politik İktisadın Evrimi, Remzi Publisher, İstanbul.
17. Kazgan, Gülten (2006), http://kazgan.bilgi.edu.tr/docs/iktisat_ve_Etik.doc Accessed: 15. 06.2009
18. Köymen, Oya (2007), Sermaye Birikirken, Yordam Kitap, Istanbul.
19. Özpınar, Şansel (2008), “Bir Meşrulaştırma Aracı Olarak İktisat Bilimi”, Bilim ve İktidar, Dipnot Publications, Ankara.
20. Pieper, Annemarie (1999), Etiğe Giriş, Translated by: Veysel Atayman, Gönül Sezer, Ayrıntı
21. Publications, Istanbul. Rowen, Donna, Dietrich, Michael (2004), “Incorporating Ethics into Economics: Problems and Possibilities”, Sheffield Economic Research Paper Series, SERP Number: 2004006.
22. Scott, Bruce R. (2006), “The Political Economy of Capitalism”, http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/07-037.pdf, Accessed: 15. 06.2009