1st Edition

Wellbeing, Nature, and Moral Values in Economics How Modern Economic Analysis Faces the Challenges Ahead

By Heinz Welsch Copyright 2023
178 Pages
by Routledge

178 Pages
by Routledge

178 Pages
by Routledge

Drawing on more modern expressions of economic analysis, this book explores the interplay between wellbeing, nature and moral values in economics. In standard accounts of economics, these three themes are typically treated in isolation from each other, or else overlooked entirely. This book argues that due to this blinkered approach, standard economic analysis is poorly equipped to deal... Read more

List of tables

  1. Introduction: Economics and the Challenges Ahead
  2. Some Challenges Ahead

    The Challenges Ahead as Public Good Problems and the Role of Moral Values

    Nature, Wellbeing and, Moral Values in Economics: Past and Present

    Aims and Scope of the Book

    Overview of the Subsequent Chapters

    Bibliography

    Part I. Welfare, Wellbeing, and the Environment

  3. Measuring Welfare
  4. Introduction

    New Measures of Welfare

    Subjective Wellbeing and Economics

    Subjective Wellbeing as a Welfare Measure

    Conclusion

    Bibliography

  5. Economic Determinants of Wellbeing
  6. Introduction

    Microeconomic Factors of Wellbeing

    Macroeconomic Factors of Wellbeing

    Inequality

    Implications for Public Policy

    Conclusion

    Bibliography

  7. Wellbeing and the Environment
  8. Introduction

    Air Pollution

    Climate Change

    Environmental Amenities and Land Use

    Pro-Environmental Behavior

    Conclusion

    Bibliography

    Part II. Economics, Morality, and the Challenges Ahead

  9. Ethics and Economics
  10. Introduction

    Consequentialism and Deontology

    Normative Accounts of Ethics in Economics

    Ethics and Natural Resource Utilization

    Ethics and Climate Change

    Ethical Behavior and Fairness Preferences: Some Evidence

    Conclusion

    Bibliography

  11. The Cooperation Dilemma and Deontological Behavior
  12. Introduction

    Social Dilemmas

    Global Public Goods

    International Climate Policy as a Cooperation Dilemma

    Voluntary Public Good Provision and Deontological Behavior

    Conclusion

    Appendix

    Bibliography

  13. Morality in Modern Economics
  14. Introduction

    Approaches to Morality

    Social Norms and Pro-Environmental Behavior

    Moral Norms and Pro-Environmental Behavior

    Identity, Cognitions, and Climate Change Mitigation

    Conclusion

    Bibliography

     

  15. Prospects and Future Directions

            Pressing Economic Problems: What Economists Say

            Economics and the Challenges Ahead

            Economics and the Role of Feelings

            Bibliography

    Index

    Biography

    Heinz Welsch is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Oldenburg, Germany. He formerly held positions at the universities of Cologne and Bonn. His fields of research include environmental, resource, and energy economics; economics of subjective wellbeing; and the role of norms and values for economic behavior. He has published extensively on these topics. His publications on "environment and happiness" were among the first contributions to this field.