Pat Gunning wrote:  
>Kevin, I think that you misunderstood my claim. I  
>merely said that [t}raditionally the values in  
>economics have been broadly utilitarian." Since HES is  
>an email list about the history of economics, utilitarian values  
>are of the most interest.  
>  
>I would be surprised if anyone on the list disagreed  
>with the propositions:  
>  
>1. that economics has for the largest part been a  
>practical field of study that deals with whether this  
>or that government policy will "benefit the people."  
>  
>2. that benefit has typically been defined in a  
>broadly utilitarian sense.  
  
  
  
Ok, Pat.  I would add only that this is a narrowing of concern compared to   
our predecessors. Smith, for example, in Jerry Muller's formulation (The   
Mind and The Market) - I'm paraphrasing - was concerned not just with the   
way markets make  can people better off, but how and under what   
institutional circumstances they can make better people - more autonomous,   
etc.  Cheers,  
  
Kevin Quinn