Economics, business and the personalist philosophy

Abstract

I will try to show in this paper, on the one hand, some examples of particular issues proposed by contemporary economists and business theorists who differ with the opinions of orthodox mainstream representatives that can be helpful to understand and give practical orientations for the complex economic problems we are facing in our times. Besides, on the other hand, I will try to argue how underlying these empirical and economic arguments, it can be recognized a connection with what could be called a 'personalist' approach to economics, very different from the conventional neoclassical consensus. In fact, I will hold that some contemporary economists and business theorists have many insights in common with the thinkers of the so-called philosophical school of 'personalism' founded by thinkers like Martin Buber or Emmanuel Mounier, and continued by contemporary philosophers like Paul Ricoeur, Emmanuel Levinas or JeanLuc Marion. Beyond their different intellectual origins, in my opinion, these thinkers have a common ground of philosophical assumptions that can be related with many of the issues brought up in nowadays debate within contemporary economic science and business theory.