If we check the dictionary for a definition of economics, you might learn the following: "Economics is the social science that studies how individuals, businesses, governments, and societies
allocate scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants and needs, focusing on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services."
So the main focus of this social science is the economy. An economy is a system within a region, composed of individuals, businesses, and governments, that produce and sell goods and services.
That may be the case, but it hasn't always been that way. Two aspects need our attention.
In the first place, there is the phenomenon of producing and selling goods, and in the second place, and that is what we are most interested in, is the question of how individuals allocate scarce resources.
It is not easy to find a good starting point for our project, because we live in a world that is totally dominated by what is happening in the economy.
And by economy, we actually mean just one favorite system, namely capitalism. And we also are convinced that alternative systems, named socialism or even worse, communism,
are economic systems that are a threat to our wealth and impossible to allocate scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants and needs in a just manner.
I don't say that this is the truth. I only try to describe the overall picture of our economic situation and I leave the debate about the rights and wrongs to the politicians.
At this moment, we aren't interested in the "how" of today, nor in what is the best economic system. But we have to face at least one paradox.
Although many believe that capitalism is the best way to allocate scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants and needs, that very same system is also responsible for the gradual destruction of our own habitat and even ourselves.
An ocean full of plastics, lethal for marine life, massive environmental pollution, climate change due to the CO2 we produce,
and massive destruction of our rainforests due to deforestation, extinction of animals and insects due to our economic activity,
and last but not least, our own overconsumption, obesity, and lifestyle diseases., PFAS and microplastics in our blood, and tar in our lungs.
This means that it is justified to ask the question: how did we get into this situation, and do we have an alternative? How did it all begin?
The answer to that question is easy. It all began with the emergence of private property and as a kind of consequence of it, with the emergence of money.
If we want to study the history of economic thought, that should be our starting point: private property and money. How and when did they come into being?
Thank you for your attention.... the floor is yours...
Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
24 - Materialism 7 Sept 2022 / 1011
25 - Historical Materialism 5 Oct 2023 / 1088
26 - The Bonobo and the Atheist 9 Jan 2024 / 1102
27 - Artificial Intelligence 9 Feb 2024 / 1108
28 - Why Am I Here 6 Sept 2024 / 1139
The Discussion
[13:14] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont)How long ago was this?, Private property and the begnning of money?
[13:15] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): wayyyyy back
[13:15] herman Bergson: The first signs of money appeared about 700 BC
[13:15] herman Bergson: and private property must have emerged when people produced more than they needed for themselves...
[13:16] herman Bergson: We'll deal with your question in the next lecture tho, Beertje
[13:16] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): ok ツ
[13:17] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): The original people had no property
[13:17] Lukkie Sands: Just for fun....listen to this
[13:17] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): just moved where they needed to go for help
[13:17] Lukkie Sands: For a formal academic paper, this text would be marked down for its lack of neutrality and conversational style. However, for an informal project, these same features become its greatest assets. It is designed to provoke thought, interest, and emotional engagement rather than to dispassionately survey a field.
It successfully frames the history of economic thought not as a dry academic exercise but as a vital tool for understanding one of the most critical issues of our time. It makes the subject immediately relevant and exciting.
[13:17] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): foood etc
[13:18] Lukkie Sands: This is what DeepSeek thinks about the current lecture :-))
[13:18] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate)Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:18] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:18] herman Bergson: Ok..interestting, Lukkie :-)
[13:19] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): she never speaks so much:)
[13:19] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): never
[13:19] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ever
[13:19] Lukkie Sands: Sorry Beertje, I am in a good mood today :-)
[13:19] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): lucky you Lukkie
[13:20] herman Bergson: My idea too Beertje :-)
[13:20] herman Bergson: But to find the starting point of economics is interesting....
[13:21] herman Bergson: and especially in relation to where we are now
[13:21] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): I am concerned that global warming is also going to change economics alll over the world again too
[13:21] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): for better or worse
[13:21] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): worse
[13:22] herman Bergson: I'll discuss it in the next lecture...but it is amazing how man "invented" money
[13:22] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): they saw the necessity
[13:22] herman Bergson: You don't need global warming for that Gemma....you only need China for that
[13:22] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): it's easier than a sheepin your pocket
[13:23] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): money I mean
[13:23] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): that too but mostly more
[13:23] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): since so many strong men dont recognize global warming
[13:23] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): XI does!!!!!!
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and is taking advantage of it
[13:24] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): or he is pretending he does
[13:24] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): pretending
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): oh i think he does
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): nt pretending
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): from what I see
[13:24] herman Bergson: I think so too, Gemma...the Chinese are smart and outmaneuvering the Americans
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): way ahead of us in preparing for alternates
[13:24] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): right
[13:25] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): they still use colemines
[13:25] herman Bergson: The US is losing it at the moment
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): yep
[13:25] herman Bergson: Gets more and more isolated
[13:25] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and Beertje Trump wants coal mines here back!!!!!
[13:25] herman Bergson: Canada canceled a 20 billion submarine deal with the US....gonna build them themselves
[13:26] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): right
[13:26] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): tho it will be hard and long to do it
[13:26] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): Getting a sub building area is really extensive
[13:26] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): will take years
[13:27] herman Bergson: I think they'll cooperate with Europe...
[13:27] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): me too
[13:27] herman Bergson: France can build subs
[13:27] herman Bergson: and they speak French in Quebec :-)
[13:28] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): patois of French
[13:28] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): a bit different
[[13:28] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): but
[13:28] herman Bergson: Like American English isn't like British English :-)
[13:28] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): i bet they will get sub scientists to move here from here to work
[13:29] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): like Flemish and Dutch
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): right
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): we are losing scientists here to overseas
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and academics too
[13:29] herman Bergson: Do you know that I am so much Americanized that I have difficulty understanding British English
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate)Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:29] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): have ot listen ot BBC on the radio
[13:30] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i love British more
[13:30] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i listen to the BBC
[13:30] herman Bergson: So I think we have an interesting journey to go...how did we get in this situation?
[13:30] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): me too at night
[13:31] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): millennia
[13:31] herman Bergson: I just saw some interview with an important economist....
[13:31] herman Bergson: the world is governed by the Central Banks of this world, was the idea
[13:32] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): I disagree ..i think we are governed by large corporations like pharma
[13:32] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and others
[13:33] herman Bergson: Good point...yes...but they have their big money in banks
[13:33] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): Central banks review the world and make decisions
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): but i think try to be ahead of problems caused by the big corporations
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and unemployment etc
[13:34] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): here that is why Trump is so mad at the central bank
[13:35] herman Bergson: I am still working on it to get it all in my head....:-)
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): because they are watching things
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): and he wants them to do otherwise
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): as usual
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): The
[13:35] herman Bergson: So we'd better start at the beginning :-)
[13:35] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): European Central Bank is a good one too i think
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): will wait for the beginning
[13:36] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ,
[13:37] herman Bergson: Well, enough to get nervous about...so...again...let's start at the beginning.....
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): .
[13:37] herman Bergson: Once upon a time, there was a world........
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate)Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:37] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:38] Lukkie Sands: I am in a bad mood already.....
[[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): You need a new dress Lukkie go shopping
[13:38] herman Bergson: So, thank you all again....
[13:38] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ty
[13:38] Blackrose (blackrose.baroque): i thought you were lucky Lukkie
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): not sure i can make golf
[13:39] Lukkie Sands: That remark does not improve my mood, Gemma.....
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate)Gemma (gemma.cleanslate) GIGGLES!!
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): ...LOL...
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): sorry
[13:39] herman Bergson: Class dismissed....
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): shopping makes one feel better
[13:39] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): realy?
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): hope to be here Thursday
[13:39] Lukkie Sands: there you have it...consumerism as a relief ....
[13:39] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): right!!!!
[13:40] Gemma (gemma.cleanslate): bye
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