With Chicago blanketed in snow and no flights leaving O'Hare Airport, University of Chicago philosopher Martha Nussbaum appeared by Skype to present the opening plenary address of theAssociation for Social Economics during the 2014 meetings of the Allied Social Science Associations in Philadelphia last week.

After being introduced by incoming ASE president Mark D. White, Professor Nussbaum delivered her speech, entitled "Economics Still Needs Philosophy." She focused on a number of areas in which philosophy could enhance economic thinking, including justice (particularly global justice); noncommensurability of values; pluralism and liberalism; relativism and universalism; free will and responsibility; emotion and desire; and justification of ethical and political systems. Throughout her address, Professor Nussbaum suggested ways in which economists could consider each of these topics within their work, and cited recent work in which economists were taking important steps toward doing this. She concluded her talk by commending the Association for Social Economics for emphasizing the links between law and social economics in its 2014 program.

Read more at Association for Social Economics Blog