A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political StrugglesBasic Books, 2007 M06 5 - 352 pages Thomas Sowell’s “extraordinary” explication of the competing visions of human nature lie at the heart of our political conflicts (New York Times) Controversies in politics arise from many sources, but the conflicts that endure for generations or centuries show a remarkably consistent pattern. In this classic work, Thomas Sowell analyzes this pattern. He describes the two competing visions that shape our debates about the nature of reason, justice, equality, and power: the "constrained" vision, which sees human nature as unchanging and selfish, and the "unconstrained" vision, in which human nature is malleable and perfectible. A Conflict of Visions offers a convincing case that ethical and policy disputes circle around the disparity between both outlooks. |
From inside the book
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Page 6
... Adam Smith and still later ( and still more so ) by Milton Friedman . A vision , as the term is used here , is not a dream , a hope , a prophecy , or a moral imperative , though any of these things may ultimately derive from some ...
... Adam Smith and still later ( and still more so ) by Milton Friedman . A vision , as the term is used here , is not a dream , a hope , a prophecy , or a moral imperative , though any of these things may ultimately derive from some ...
Page 11
... Adam Smith provided a picture of man which may help make concrete the nature of a constrained vision. Writing as a philosopher in 1759, nearly twenty years before he became famous as an economist, Smith said in his Theory of Moral ...
... Adam Smith provided a picture of man which may help make concrete the nature of a constrained vision. Writing as a philosopher in 1759, nearly twenty years before he became famous as an economist, Smith said in his Theory of Moral ...
Page 13
... Smith approached the production and distribution of moral behavior in much the same way he would later approach the ... Adam Smith's example , a society cannot function humanely , if at all , when each person acts as if his little finger ...
... Smith approached the production and distribution of moral behavior in much the same way he would later approach the ... Adam Smith's example , a society cannot function humanely , if at all , when each person acts as if his little finger ...
Page 15
... Smith relied on incentives rather than dispositions to get the job done. The Unconstrained Vision Perhaps no other eighteenth-century book presents such a contrast to the vision of man in Adam Smith as William Godwin's Enquiry ...
... Smith relied on incentives rather than dispositions to get the job done. The Unconstrained Vision Perhaps no other eighteenth-century book presents such a contrast to the vision of man in Adam Smith as William Godwin's Enquiry ...
Page 20
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Contents
3 | |
9 | |
Visions of Knowledge and Reason 36 | 36 |
Visions of Social Processes 69 | 69 |
Varieties and Dynamics of Visions 102 | 102 |
APPLICATIONS | 131 |
Visions of Equality 133 | 133 |
Other editions - View all
A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles Thomas Sowell Limited preview - 2002 |
A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles Thomas Sowell Limited preview - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
According to Godwin According to Hayek Adam Smith Alexander Hamilton Antoine-Nicolas de Condorcet articulated rationality assumptions benefits Bernard Shaw capabilities causation centuries Chicago Press conceived concept Concerning Political Justice conclusions conflict of visions constrained and unconstrained crime economic Edmund Burke Enquiry Concerning Political equality evidence evolved example existing F. A. Hayek Federalist Papers freedom Historical Picture Hobbes human nature Ibid incentives individual inequality inherent intellectual and moral interests issues John Kenneth Galbraith Legislation and Liberty limitations locus of discretion logic Malthus man’s masses means Milton Friedman Moral Sentiments Myrdal P. T. Bauer particular principles property rights Reflections regarded Revolution in France role Ronald Dworkin rules seen simply social justice social processes social results social visions society specific surrogate decision-makers systemic processes Theory of Moral Third World Thomas Sowell trade-off tradition Tribe unconstrained vision University of Chicago value premises vision of human William Godwin York