PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION




An Interactive Course


In order to foster a clear grasp of the ethical and social issues in human action, and to promote the development of peaceful, synergistic institutions benefiting all individuals, this online course is offered to interested persons at no charge. Concepts are carefully developed in a step-by-step presentation, reinforced by concrete examples and interaction with the student. The course progresses from basic underlying philosophical issues to sophisticated analyses of many of the perplexing problems we face in the new millennium.
What does this course offer? Course Overview About the Author
Begin Course Your Feedback Related Links
Test Your Understanding of Human Action (Self-Quiz) Add Link to This Site
A Philosophical and Personal Dialogue

COURSE SYLLABUS AND SITE MAP
Introduction
Preliminaries

1.  Basic Concepts
   Overview
   Reality and Consciousness
   Epistemology  <--------HOW CAN WE KNOW REALITY?
      The Cognitive Process
      The Conditions for Acquiring Knowledge
      Theory and Practice
      Cognition and Feelings
   Metaphysics  <--------WHAT IS REALITY?
      Existence and Identity
      Causality
      Living Entities

2.  Values and Purpose  <--------WHY DO WE ACT?
   Overview
   Concepts of Value
   Well-Functioning
   Values and Purpose in Human Action
   The Roles of Ethics and Praxeology

3.  Ethical Science  <--------WHAT ACTIONS ARE GOOD FOR US?
   Overview
   The Need for Ethics
   Misconceptions about Ethics
   Ethics and Principles
   Views of Ethics
   Rational Self-Interest
   Morality and Practicality
   Egoism's World-View
   The Impotence of Evil
   Virtues
      Thinking
      Rationality
      Independence
      Integrity
      Honesty
      Justice
      Productiveness
      Pride
   Self-Esteem
   Ethics in Society

4.  Praxeology  <--------HOW DO WE ACT?
   Overview
   The Methodology of Praxeology
   Praxeology and History
   Crusoe Analysis
   Crusoe/Friday Analysis
   Larger Marketplaces
   Time Preference
   Market Values (Prices) in a Developed Market
   The Effects of Risk and Uncertainty
   Information Generation and the Market
   Government and the Marketplace
      Basic Categories of Government Action
      Maximum Price Controls
      Minimum Price Controls
      Inflation
      Consumer Regulation
      Involuntary Servitude
         Slavery
         Conscription
         Taxation
      Trade Barriers
      Legal Monopolies
      Business Licensing
      Censorship
      Subsidies
      Miscellaneous Business Regulation
   General Methodology for Analyzing Intervention

5.  Political Systems  <--------HOW DO WE INTERACT?
   Overview
   Functions of Government
      The Historical Function of Government
      Wealth, Power, and Freedom
      Government as Institutor of Freedom
      Government as Means to Personal Ends
      Government as Means to "Economic Equality"
      Government as Means to a Marxist Economy
   Classification of Political Systems
   Natural Tendencies of Political Systems
      Cybernetic Analysis
      Information Processing and Human Value Scales
      Personal Interests in a Governmental Structure
      Tendencies of a Mixed Economy
      Tendencies of a Socialist State
      Tendencies of a Free Society
      Summary of Tendencies of Political Systems
   Detailed View of a Free Society
      Poverty
      Population
      Drug Abuse
      Natural Environment
      Patents and Copyrights
      Children
      Rights of the Mentally Incompetent
      Criminal Justice
      Government Finance
      The Necessity of Government
   Implementing the Idea of Freedom

Glossary

NOTE:  The above topics should be studied in the course's logical sequence. After reading the Course Overview, the student should start at the beginning of the course.