Little Shop of Knowledge

Human Action (Volume 1) by Ludwig von Mises

 

Ludwig von Mises opens his case for explaining what Praxeology is, and how it is useful in comprehending an approach to the study of Human Action to then build a society based on systems that comprehend such nature and such principles.

 

Mises defines human action, praxeology, history and many other concepts. Through this first part of his magnus opum he makes his case on how things are. He’s very careful in his construction for he will seek to understand the strongest counterarguments to his claims and then he will do what he can in order to prove his point solely based on evidence. Whether it is about liberalism and science, or explaining how thorugh the division of labor society came about, Mises point out what we believe is perhaps every argument for the case possible.

 

I had heard of Mises for quite some time. However, to really week to understand his point, in his own words was magnificent. I thought it would just be a bunch of ideas that kind of sound right but what kept me fascinated with Mises with the clarity in his logic, and really arguments that I’m strongly inclined towards. Being at UFM and reading and understanding Mises has been quite a treat to be honest, and I’m very thankful to have the special group of students that we are along this journey.

 

MORE ON HUMAN ACTION:

 

Chapter 2: The Epistemological Problems on the Sciences of Human Action

 

Questions: What are judgements of relevance? What is calue free science? Are praxeological categories of action and acting man ideal types?

 

Understanding: Mental process to study individual & unique characteristics of each event. Established the fact that an individual or froup of individuals have engaged. Historian & Filmmaker: Must arrange facts/images meaningrully to create “condensed image”.

 

ECONOMICS AND THE REVOLT AGAINST REASON

 

1. The Revolt Against Reason

Mises illustrates the different postures of philosophers and “economists” with regard to truth, logic, and their motived for doing so. The attack to reason, Mises says, came from a group of socialist members that were running out of ways to defend their ideology and in order to be able to refute these attacks had to fins a way to discredit what most of the natural sciences claim to have discovered. In other words, they pretty much had to make almost everything up in order for their ideology to make any sense whatsoever.

“It was impermissible to dethrone reason in one field and not to question it in other branches of knowledge also.”

“Only one way could lead the socialists out of this impasse. They could attack logic and reason and substitute mystical intuition for ratiocination.”

 

(side note) Authors I would like to read in order to get a sense of their point of view: Hegel, Comte, Marx, Engels, Hume, Haeckles, Keynes.Explore “the historical situation existing in the middle of the 19th century”.

 

Thoughts on “The Logical Aspect of Polylogism”

 

Polylogism is stupid. (Yes, I said it.) It says that “the logical structure of the mind is different with the members of various social classes (races, countries, wholes.)”. I like how Mises tackles this honestly and truly thinks of a way that could prove whether this was right or wrong (see pg. 75, last paragraph). Though I said it is stupid (and I mean it) Mises treats this with more intellectual respect & honesty describing this doctrine as “insincere”. I like this word because Hitler, Marx, Lenin, etc, were not stupid at all, they had their interests at stake and to attack logic in such a way and convince so many people eis truly something admirable from a marketing perspective. I can’t assert whether they believed their own stuff but I’m guessing they probably didn’t, at least in this respect (or, they were crazy).

 

Chapter 8: HUMAN SOCIETY

 

1.Human Cooperation

Society is an outcome of human action because the division of labor brings better productivity and more wellbeing to the individual. Man becomes a social animal, man becomes human as feelings of sympathy & friendship arise from this cooperation. There is no such thing as the action of a society, action is always the action of the individual man.

“There is a division of labor between the various parts of any living organism. Man’s efforts to improve his conditions.”

 

2. A Critique of the Holistic and Metaphysical view of Society Universalism, Nationalism, Religion, Socialism, etc. 

They ask me to sacrifice in order for a greater food to be attained even if this means that the world must end for “justice” to take place. This brings battles, wars & no tolerance since someone “must be right” because the divined providence revealed to them. Mises then talks about methods to bring peace & order which are needed for the division of labor & smooth running of the social apparatus. Theocratic government, dictatorships, anarchu, liberalism & pseudo liberalism (where majority rules becomes a dictatorship).

 

3. Praxeology & Liberalism Liberalism: Political doctrine (application of the theories of praxeology & economics).-Assumes that all men (or majority) are intent upon attaining certain goals.-Gives information about suitable means to the realization of their plans. THEIR teachings are valid only for people who are committed to these valuational principles.

 

Pressupositions: Life > Death. Health > Sickness. Nourishment > Starvation. Abundance > Poverty.Teaches man how to act in accordance to these.

 

Teachings of Liberalism:

1.The liberals do not assert that men ought to strive after the goals mentiones above. They maintain that theimmense majority prefer them.

2.The liberals do not disdain the intellectual & spiritual aspirations of man. LIBERALISM AND RELIGIONRadically opposed to systems of theocracy but entirely neutral to religious beliefs that do not “pretend to interfere with the conduct of social, political & economic affairs”.

 

Theocratic Government: [Theocracy] A social system which lays claim to a superhuman title for its legitimation.

 

“We must not confuse the two things, religion & theocracy”.

 

THE DIVISION OF LABOR Increases output per unit of labor expended.Natural Facts:

1.The Innate innequaliy of men with regard to their ability to perform various kinds of labor.

2.The unequal distribution of the nature-given, nonhuman opportunities of production on the surface of the earth.

[If every piece of the word & every person were identical there would be no need for division of labor]

3.There are undertakings whose accomplishment exceeds the forces of a single man and requires the joint effort of several. (In both cases only joint effort makes it possible to attain the end sought).

 

THE RICARDIAN LAW OF ASSOCIATON:

Demonstrates what the consequences of the division of labor are when an individual or a group more efficient in every regard, cooperates with an individual or a group less efficient in every regard.

 

THE EFFECTS OF THE DIVISION OF LABOR“It assigns to the various geographic areas specific functions in the complex of the processes of production”.

 

THE INDIVIDUAL WITHIN SOCIETY“Lamnting of the past barbarians” is romantic nonsense.“Family is an outcome of thinking, planning & acting.”

 

ACTION: purposeful behavior

1.Feel uneasy

2.Imagine (analyze)

3.Decide to use factors to achieve your end.