Date of Award
Spring 5-2015
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs
First Advisor
Edward Sayre
Advisor Department
Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs
Abstract
The economic discipline, in studying humans, relies on economic philosophers’ theories and understanding of the human person. One of Adam Smith’s most basic tenants was that man is self-interested. This thesis explores the profound implications this has had on those who study economics and what research in behavioral economics implies about its effect on life satisfaction. Catholic Social Teaching is the Roman Catholic Church’s collection of criticisms for practicing the neo-scholastic virtue ethic in social life. If self-interest is emphasized above man’s social nature, which was Smith’s second tenant, economics ignores a non-trivial portion of man’s motivation. Because irrational behaviors such as altruism and cooperation are correlated with higher life satisfaction, Catholic Social Teaching’s perspective of virtue ethics in economics will be analyzed.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Wingerter, Erin C., "On the Shoulders of Giants: Happiness and the Good Economy in Catholic Social Teaching" (2015). Honors Theses. 285.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/285