Amartya Sen's latest book, The Idea of Justice (2009), will be the subject of a "Reading Group" introduction, analysis and discussion at the Public Reason blog ('a blog for political philosophers'), commencing on Monday, February 22, 2010.* I find these reading groups helpful (this is the third such reading), especially for bringing varied perspectives to their topics and compelling me to think about things I otherwise would not have, given the usual solitary nature of my reflections. A recent review of Sen's book by Glen Newey is found in the London Review of Books, Vol. 32, No. 2 (28 January 2010).
Although Sen is an economist, like not a few of his vocation from an earlier era, he is at the same time a philosopher. Fittingly, therefore, he is Harvard's Thomas W. Lamont Professor and Professor of Economics and Philosophy. In Sen's hands, economics is anything but Carlyle's "dismal science." I have most of his books on my bookshelves and find myself referencing and reading them again and again.
Incidentally, while Sen's own worldview does not appear to be in any conventional sense "religious," he is fairly conversant in Indic religious and philosophical traditions, and his approach to economics generally is one all of us might endorse or embrace given his fundamental and consistent ethical orientation to the discipline.
*The schedule is here.
Patrick, thanks. I bought the book sometime back and have yet to open it. I will now open it up and follow the discussion with interest.
Posted by: Steve Shiffrin | 02/19/2010 at 11:58 AM