I think we are misunderstanding each other here. 'Economic self-interest' was my crude (perhaps too crude) broad-brush encapsulation of the thrust of your essay. I was using the word 'economic' in its broadest sense - as in Robbins marvellous definition of it as "the study of human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce mean…
I think we are misunderstanding each other here. 'Economic self-interest' was my crude (perhaps too crude) broad-brush encapsulation of the thrust of your essay. I was using the word 'economic' in its broadest sense - as in Robbins marvellous definition of it as "the study of human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means....etc"
I was criticising it from the vantage point of 'cultural evolution' which - for me anyway - would need to encompass the evolution of ideas of 'love', desire, 'beauty' masculinity and femininity and so; not just the urge to maximise success in the propagation of your line.
[But also perhaps I did not make clear enough that I was quite impressed by your analysis; just suggesting how it might be broadened]
I think we are misunderstanding each other here. 'Economic self-interest' was my crude (perhaps too crude) broad-brush encapsulation of the thrust of your essay. I was using the word 'economic' in its broadest sense - as in Robbins marvellous definition of it as "the study of human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means....etc"
I was criticising it from the vantage point of 'cultural evolution' which - for me anyway - would need to encompass the evolution of ideas of 'love', desire, 'beauty' masculinity and femininity and so; not just the urge to maximise success in the propagation of your line.
[But also perhaps I did not make clear enough that I was quite impressed by your analysis; just suggesting how it might be broadened]