{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.0148975791433892, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0, 'mean_word_length': 4.969444444444444, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Review of James Halteman and Edd S . Noell ’ s Reckoning with markets : moral reflection in economics

Halteman and Noell have written a timely book on the role of ethics, values, and value judgments in economic discourse. The recent financial crisis has brought to light many very objectionable business practices, all pursued in the name of money and often at great cost even to those on whose behalf the financial institutions were ostensibly acting. It is an indictment of the current state of economic theory and practice that many of those who instigated these practices never had any idea that they were engaging in unethical behavior. This book shows how economics as a discipline has failed to provide the necessary moral framework by which economic behavior can be judged. This is a shame, and it has not always been the case, for much in the history of economic theory is available to guide moral economic conduct. Halteman and Noell trace the history and development of moral reflection in economic theory, including those instances in its history when economic theory has been devoid of moral considerations. The book is written for the undergraduate student and would be useful in courses on the history of economic thought, behavioral economics, economic psychology, and business ethics, among others. The authors include illustrations applying the various ethical perspectives of past economists to current economic practices and policies. A set of discussion questions is included with each illustration. The authors begin the discussion of moral reflection with Plato and Aristotle and the concept of the human telos. Halteman and Noell argue that for Plato and Aristotle, as well as for others, the concept of telos involved some idea of what people were meant to be. Thus, these philosophers believed that as people struggled with the conflicts between human nature and their ultimate purpose in life, rules of moral conduct, or ethics, developed to maintain order in society. Halteman and Noell claim that in classical Greek thought behavior was measured in terms of right and good conduct; that equitable economic distribution