Details
What Happens to People in a Competitive Society
An Anthropological Investigation of Competition
CHF 59.00 |
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Verlag: | Palgrave Macmillan |
Format: | |
Veröffentl.: | 24.01.2020 |
ISBN/EAN: | 9783030221331 |
Sprache: | englisch |
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Beschreibungen
<p></p><p>In this book, author Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen probes the question: What is at stake for human beings in a society dominated by competition, particularly economic competition? Is competition endemic to human nature? Does it preserve the dignity and intrinsic value of the human being? Does it secure better living conditions? In a way, the answer to these queries is a simple “yes.” It can allow for superior satisfaction of fundamental needs; legitimate self-love and self-realization; and encourage positive feelings upon mastering a skill. At the same time, however, competition can also contribute to a strong materialistic self-interest and support classicism, social ranking, and elitism: other human beings become only means to a personal success, thus jeopardizing fellowship and collaboration. In a hyper-competitive environment, some of the same positive human values mentioned above—self-love, self-realisation, individuality, and freedom—can be viewed to pose a threat to the realisation of one’s potential and to one’s true humanity. These competing, contradictory aspects of competition are presented and discussed from perspectives across varying disciplines, from social anthropology and economics to history, ethics, philosophy and theology.</p><p></p>
Chapter 1: Introduction<div>Part I: The Phenomenon of Competition</div><div>Chapter 2: The phenomenon of competition<b>–</b>social-anthropological perspectives</div><div>Chapter 3: The phenomenon of competition<b>–</b>contemporary perspectives</div><div>Part II: Competition and the Economy</div><div>Chapter 4: Competition and the economy<b>–</b>historical perspectives</div><div>Chapter 5: Competition and the economy<b>–</b>economic perspectives</div><div>Chapter 6: Competition and the economy<b>–</b>anthropological perspectives</div><div>Chapter 7: Competition and the economy<b>–</b>ethical perspectives</div><div>Part III: Competition and anthropology</div><div>Chapter 8: Competition and human relationships</div><div>Chapter 9: A humane competition? Summing up anthropological and ethical perspectives.</div>
<p></p><p>Dr. Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen is Professor at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Oslo, Norway.</p><p></p>
In this book, author Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen probes the question: What is at stake for human beings in a society dominated by competition, particularly economic competition? Is competition endemic to human nature? Does it preserve the dignity and intrinsic value of the human being? Does it secure better living conditions? In a way, the answer to these queries is a simple “yes.” It can allow for superior satisfaction of fundamental needs; legitimate self-love and self-realization; and encourage positive feelings upon mastering a skill. At the same time, however, competition can also contribute to a strong materialistic self-interest and support classicism, social ranking, and elitism: other human beings become only means to a personal success, thus jeopardizing fellowship and collaboration. In a hyper-competitive environment, some of the same positive human values mentioned above—self-love, self-realisation, individuality, and freedom—can be viewed to pose a threat to the realisation of one’s potential. These competing, contradictory aspects of competition are presented and discussed from perspectives across varying disciplines, from social anthropology and economics to history, ethics, philosophy and theology.<p></p>
<p>Presents an original perspective on research concerning the relationship between ethics and economics</p><p>Will hold value for scholars across a range of fields including anthropology, sociology, business, economics, ethics, philosophy, and religion</p><p>Brings an unusual perspective to a phenomenon that is widely acknowledged and often taken for granted</p>
Presents an original perspective on research concerning the relationship between ethics and economics <div><br><div>Will hold value for scholars across a range of fields including anthropology, sociology, business, economics, ethics, philosophy, and religion </div></div><div><br></div><div>Trains an unusual lens on a phenomenon that is widely acknowledged and often taken for granted </div><div><br></div>
“In this impressive study on competition and true humanity Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen gives an original perspective on the relationship between ethics and economics. By providing a careful and critical analysis of the phenomenon of competition, he gives an important contribution to the critique of the image of human behavior within economic theory.”<p>—Carl-Henric Grenholm, Professor of Ethics, Uppsala University, Sweden </p>