Power, Pleasure, and Profit: Insatiable Appetities from Machiavelli to Madison

A provocative history of the changing values that have given rise to our present discontents. We pursue power, pleasure, and profit. We want as much as we can get, and we deploy instrumental reasoning—cost-benefit analysis—to get it. We judge ourselves and others by how well we succeed. It is a way of life and thought that seems natural, inevitable, and inescapable. As David Wootton shows, it is anything but. In Power, Pleasure, and Profit , he traces an intellectual and cultural revolution that replaced the older systems of Aristotelian ethics and Christian morality with the iron cage of instrumental reasoning that now gives shape and purpose to our lives. Wootton guides us through four centuries of Western thought—from Machiavelli to Madison—to show how new ideas about politics, ethics, and economics stepped into a gap opened up by religious conflict and the Scientific Revolution. As ideas about godliness and Aristotelian virtue faded, theories about the rational pursuit of power, pleasure, and profit moved to the fore in the work of writers both obscure and as famous as Hobbes, Locke, and Adam Smith. The new instrumental reasoning cut through old codes of status and rank, enabling the emergence of movements for liberty and equality. But it also helped to create a world in which virtue, honor, shame, and guilt count for almost nothing, and what matters is success. Is our world better for the rise of instrumental reasoning? To answer that question, Wootton writes, we must first recognize that we live in its grip. We Pursue Power, Pleasure, And Profit. We Want As Much As We Can Get, And We Deploy Instrumental Reasoning--cost-benefit Analysis--to Get It. We Judge Ourselves And Others By How Well We Succeed. It Is A Way Of Life And Thought That Seems Natural, Inevitable, And Inescapable. As David Wootton Shows, It Is Anything But. In Power, Pleasure, And Profit, He Traces An Intellectual And Cultural Revolution That Replaced The Older Normative Systems Of Aristotelian Ethics And Christian Morality With The Iron Cage Of Instrumental Reasoning That Now Gives Shape And Purpose To Our Lives. Wootton Guides Us Through Four Centuries Of Western Thought--from Machiavelli To Madison--to Show How New Ideas About Politics, Ethics, And Economics Stepped Into A Gap Opened Up By Religious Conflict And The Scientific Revolution. As Ideas About Godliness And Aristotelian Virtue Faded, Theories About The Rational Pursuit Of Power, Pleasure, And Profit Moved To The Fore In The Work Of Writers Both Obscure And As Famous As Hobbes, Locke, And Adam Smith. The New Instrumental Reasoning Was A Double-edged Weapon. It Cut Through Old Codes Of Status And Rank, Enabling The Emergence Of Movements For Liberty And Equality. But It Also Helped To Create A World In Which Virtue, Honor, Shame, And Guilt Count For Almost Nothing, And What Matters Is Success.-- Insatiable Appetites -- Power: (mis)reading Machiavelli -- Happiness: Words And Concepts -- Selfish Systems: Hobbes And Locke -- Utility: In Place Of Virtue -- The State: Checks And Balances -- Profit: The Invisible Hand -- The Market: Poverty And Famines -- Self-evidence. David Wootton. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "We pursue power, pleasure, and profit. We want as much as we can get, and we deploy instrumental reasoning--cost-benefit analysis--to get it. We judge ourselves and others by how well we succeed. It is a way of life and thought that seems natural, inevitable, and inescapable. As David Wootton shows, it is anything but. In Power, Pleasure, and Profit, he traces an intellectual and cultural revolution that replaced the older normative systems of Aristotelian ethics and Christian morality with the iron cage of instrumental reasoning that now gives shape and purpose to our lives. Wootton guides us through four centuries of Western thought--from Machiavelli to Madison--to show how new ideas about politics, ethics, and economics stepped into a gap opened up by religious conflict and the Scientific Revolution. As ideas about godliness and Aristotelian virtue faded, theories about the rational pursuit of power, pleasure, and profit moved to the fore in the work of writers both obscure and as famous as Hobbes, Locke, and Adam Smith. The new instrumental reasoning was a double-edged weapon. It cut through old codes of status and rank, enabling the emergence of movements for liberty and equality. But it also helped to create a world in which virtue, honor, shame, and guilt count for almost nothing, and what matters is success. (source : jacquette - résumé de l'éditeur) "We pursue power, pleasure, and profit. We want as much as we can get, and we deploy instrumental reasoning--cost-benefit analysis--to get it. We judge ourselves and others by how well we succeed. It is a way of life and thought that seems natural, inevitable, and inescapable. As David Wootton shows, it is anything but. In Power, Pleasure, and Profit, he traces an intellectual and cultural revolution that replaced the older normative systems of Aristotelian ethics and Christian morality with the iron cage of instrumental reasoning that now gives shape and purpose to our lives. Wootton guides us through four centuries of Western thought--from Machiavelli to Madison--to show how new ideas about politics, ethics, and economics stepped into a gap opened up by religious conflict and the Scientific Revolution. As ideas about godliness and Aristotelian virtue faded, theories about the rational pursuit of power, pleasure, and profit moved to the fore in the work of writers both obscure and as famous as Hobbes, Locke, and Adam Smith. The new instrumental reasoning was a double-edged weapon. It cut through old codes of status and rank, enabling the emergence of movements for liberty and equality. But it also helped to create a world in which virtue, honor, shame, and guilt count for almost nothing, and what matters is success.-- Provided by publisher Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Epigraphs 9 To the Reader 12 1 Insatiable Appetites 22 2 Power: (Mis)Reading Machiavelli 48 3 Happiness: Words and Concepts 78 4 Selfish Systems: Hobbes and Locke 100 5 Utility: In Place of Virtue 126 6 The State: Checks and Balances 146 7 Profit: The Invisible Hand 166 8 The Market: Poverty and Famines 198 9 Self-Evidence 230 Appendix A: On Emulation, and on the Canon 262 Appendix B: Double-Entry Bookkeeping 267 Appendix C: “Equality” in Machiavelli 270 Appendix D: The Good Samaritan 276 Appendix E: Prudence and the Young Man 281 Appendix F: “The Market” 291 Notes 292 Illustration Credits 375 Acknowledgments 377 Index 382