Perspectives that Guide Our Thinking

Every rethink of economics is guided by a number of perspectives, which shape it, often unconsciously. It is good to make them explicit. We have five that guide the laying our foundation:

A rethink needs a stance on how it treats real-life economics in all its complexity, and how authoritative it takes theory and academic material to be. We prioritise pre-theoretical experience over theories and rules, especially for evidence and input, but do so critically. Everyday experience is as important as economic theory and professional practice. (Detailed in Chapter 3, 3-1. Respecting the Pre-theoretical Stance.)
A rethink presupposes some philosophical underpinnings. Our rethink emanates from Dooyeweerd's multi-aspectual philosophy, in which meaning is the root. So our foundation employs his suite of aspects as a conceptual tool for understanding diversity and coherence of values, of economic activity and of normativity. (Detailed in Chapter 3. 3-2. Our Philosophical Foundation: Dooyeweerd's Philosophy.)
A rethink takes a stance on the role of religion and ideology, most trying to ignore them or adopt them. We believe religion and ideology offer important insights for economics, but we clearly identify them, so that they do not dominate but contribute. (Detailed in Chapter 3, 3-3. Spiritual / Religious Perspectives.)
A rethink will draw upon previous ideas, usually to incorporate or reject. Instead, we treat all ideas as offering some valid insight, yet also some falsehood. Our methodology for doing this is LACE - listen, affirm, critique, and enrich. So we can embrace recent and conventional, left- and right-wing, environmental and human, capitalist and socialist, ... (Detailed in Chapter 3, 3-4. Ideas, Theories and Engaging with Them.)
A rethink presupposes some aim to which economics contributes. We believe economics should contribute to Multi-aspectual Overall Good, not just growth of money or even prosperity. (Detailed in Chapter 3, 3-5. Multi-aspectual Overall Good.)

See the whole Chapter 3 for a detailed explanation and discussion of all of these.

This page, "http://christianthinking.space/economics/our.perspectives.html", is part of the Christian Thinking in Economics project, which itself is within Christian Thinking Space.

Created: 25 July 2025. Last updated: