PPE Academy Live: Economics and the Pursuit of Happiness | Unit 5

Thank you for joining us for unit five of our PPE Academy’s premier live course, Economics and the Pursuit of Happiness. This evening’s lecture is titled "The Moral Dimensions of the Market Economy."

If you haven’t already, please sign up for free now so you can track your progress, take quizzes and earn a certificate upon successful completion of the course. This live session is part of a 5-week course covering the foundations of politics, philosophy, and economics with Dr. Erik Matson of George Mason University. Successfully finishing this course earns students a certificate of completion. Dive deeper into the subject matter with this suggested reading:

• James R. Otteson, “Adam Smith on Virtue, Prosperity, and Justice,” In J.A. Baker & M.D. White, eds., Economics and the Virtues: Building a New Moral Foundation, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016, pp. 72-93.


• Wilhelm Röpke, “Boredom and the Mass Society,” The Humane Economy (Wilmington, DE, 2014), pp. 74-89.


• Paul Heyne, “Income and Ethics in the Market System,” in Are Economists Basically Immoral? and Other Essays on Economics, Ethics, and Religion, by Paul Heyne, edited by Anthony Michael C. Waterman and Geoffrey Brennan (Liberty Fund, Indianapolis, 2008).


• “Piketty’s Capital in a Nutshell,” Open Culture article.


• P. J. Hill, “Creating and Distributing Wealth: Whose Responsibility?” Wealth, Poverty, and Human Destiny, pp. 1-18.


• Irving Kristol, “’When Virtue Loses All Her Loveliness: Some Reflections on Capitalism and the ‘Free Society’,” Two Cheers for Capitalism, pp. 255-270.


• J.K. Galbraith, “The Past and Future of Political Economy,” American Affairs, 2018.


• "Blessed Be: What Is Happiness, and How Should We Pursue It?" Chapter Nine from Jay W. Richards, The Human Advantage: The Future of American Work in an Age of Smart Machines (New York:Crown Forum, 2018). 1-15pp.


• Francesca Aran Murphy, “Is Liberalism a Heresy?: Why Liberalism and a Market Economy Are Based on Christianity,” First Things, June 2016,pp. 1-15


• Tyler Cowen, “Does the Free Market Corrode Moral Character?” John Templeton Foundation, 2008.

Don’t forget to explore our complementary interactive site featuring 9 engaging short videos by Drs. Jay Richards and Anne Bradley that are the basis for this week’s “Economics and the Pursuit of Happiness” course. You’ll also find loads of other supplemental course content. Be sure to join our Facebook group to engage with fellow students throughout the course and to share your thoughts on this week’s course experience.

We’re so glad you joined us. With the PPE Academy’s suite of online courses, you can strengthen your knowledge of these important concepts and boost your career at the same time.

Need help? Contact ippe@isi.org and include “PPE Live Support” in the subject line.