Markets with Limits: How the Commodification of Academia Derails Debate

Description

In Markets with Limits James Stacey Taylor argues that current debates over the moral limits of markets have derailed. He argues that they focus on a market-critical position that almost nobody holds: That certain goods and services can be freely given away but cannot be bought or sold. And he argues that they focus on a type of argument for this position that there is reason to believe that nobody holds: That trade in certain goods or services is wrongful solely because of what it would communicate. Taylor puts the debates over the moral limits of markets back on track. He develops a taxonomy of the positions that are actually held by critics of markets, and clarifies the role played in current moral and political philosophy by arguments that justify (or condemn) certain actions owing in part to what they communicate. Taylor argues that the debates derailed because they were conducted in accord with market, rather than academic, norms―and that this demonstrates that market thinking should not govern academic research. Markets with Limits concludes with suggestions as to how to encourage academics to conduct research in accord with academic norms and hence improve its quality. Key Features Provides original suggestions concerning how to improve the exegetical quality of academic research Systematically identifies the primary exegetical errors―and the ways in which these errors have adversely influenced current debates--that Jason Brennan and Peter Jaworski made in their influential book, Markets without Limits Argues that despite the current, widespread view that semiotic objections to markets are widespread in the literature, they are in actuality rare to nonexistent Offers an up-to-date taxonomy of the current arguments in the various debates over both the ontological and the moral limits of markets Provides an extensive overview of mistaken claims that have been made and propagated in various academic literatures Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction A Debate in Dire Need of Rescue Markets, Morals, Mischaracterizations, and Mute Inglorious Miltons Positive Contributions to the Debates A Map of the Cat PART I: How the Debates Over the Moral Limits of Markets Became Derailed 1. The Magical Asymmetry Thesis Introduction Sandel and Satz Do Not Endorse the Asymmetry Thesis Sandel and the Asymmetry Thesis Satz and the Asymmetry Thesis Anderson: Sex, Surrogacy—and Symmetry Sex and Sphere Differentiation Surrogacy and Symmetry Walzer and Archard Are Not Anticommodification Theorists, Either Walzer on Markets and Justice Archard on Blood Conclusion 2. Semiotic Objections to Markets Introduction Brennan and Jaworski’s Critique of Semiotic Objections to Commodification Essentialist Semiotics Contingent Semiotics Conclusion 3. Sandel, Semiotics, and Money-Based Exchange Introduction Sandel’s Putative Semiotic Objections to Markets Markets in Children and Information Markets in Terrorism and Death Inappropriate Gifts? Gift Certificates and Cash Money and the Norms of Friendship Intrinsic Value, Instrumental Value, and Yosemite Conclusion 4. Sex, Surrogacy, Semiotics, and Spheres: Anderson on Market Exchange Introduction Brennan and Jaworski Attribute Essentialist Semiotic Objections to Anderson Anderson Rejects Semiotic Essentialism Anderson Supports Revising Costly Norms Anderson Does Not Offer Semiotic Arguments Against Commodified Sex or Surrogacy Conclusion 5. Walzer, Satz, Archard, and Semiotics Introduction Michael Walzer’s Spheres of Justice Debra Satz and Stanford’s Student Newspaper Satz and the Meaning of Friendship, Love, and Prizes Satz, Semiotics, Surrogacy, and Sex David Archard’s Dominoes Conclusion PART II: Getting the Debates Back on Track 6. Expressivist Arguments Introduction Not All Expressivist Arguments Are Semiotic Arguments Expressivist Arguments Descriptive Expressivism Consequentialist Prescriptive Expressivist Arguments Non-consequentialist Prescriptive Expressivist Arguments Non-consequentialist Prescriptive Expressivist Justifications of Individual Action Non-consequentialist Prescriptive Expressivist Justifications of Law and Policy New Expressivist Arguments in the Debate Over the Moral Limits of Markets Booth’s Argument Sparks’ Argument Responses to Booth’s and Sparks’ Arguments Implications of These Responses Conclusion 7. What We Talk About When We Talk About the Limits of Markets Introduction Inherent Moral Limits on Markets Ontological Limits of Markets Goods and Services that Cannot Be Bought and Sold Market Transformation The Importance of Ontological Clarity Contingent Objections to Markets Market Economy vs. Market Society Pluralistic Value and the Adoption of Norms Understanding Relationships Norms and Assessing Competing Conceptions of Relationships Moving Forward to Improve Society Conclusion PART III: From Market Norms to Academic Norms 8. Why Good Academics Produce Bad Research: Academic Incentives, Woozles, and Hoaxes Introduction Why Good Academics Produce Bad Research: The Perversity of Current Academic Incentivez Propagating Woozles Academic Incentives, Market Norms, and Academic Excellence A Note on Norms Norms in Academia Conclusion 9. Market Norms and Academic Norms Introduction A Clarification: Markets Norms as Academic Admixture A Market-Based Defense of the Status Quo Academic Errors and a Defense of Market Norms Reference Errors Substantial Errors and Market Norms Factual Errors Quotation Errors Do Substantial Errors Matter? Continuing the Defense of Market Norms The Benefits of Error Defending the Primacy of Academic Norms Conclusion 10. The Theory and Practice of Changing Norms Introduction Changing Norms in Theory Changing Norms in Practice Encourage Referees to Become Bounty Hunters Shifting Incentives for Academic Researchers Revising Other Academic Incentives to Reinforce Academic Norms Plagiarism, Negligence, and Academic Norms Conclusion Conclusion Bibliography Index