Artifactual Man and the Image of God

Carden, Art; Carini, Jaime; Snow, Nathanael David

doi:10.2139/ssrn.4979253

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Artifactual Man and the Image of God

21 Pages Posted: 12 Nov 2024

See all articles by Art Carden

Art Carden

Brock School of Business, Samford University

Nathanael David Snow

Ball State University, Department of Economics, Institute for the Study of Political Economy; George Mason University

Date Written: October 07, 2024

Abstract

James M. Buchanan's normative methodological and political individualism is largely ungrounded. We ground his individualism and the postulates of public choice more generally in the Christian doctrine of the imago Dei and then trace out the implications of this doctrine for political and economic choices and social evolution more generally. Buchanan argued that "Man wants the liberty to become the man he wants to become" and noted that this is precisely because "the person he wants to become" constantly changes with new information. Due to our limitations, efforts to shape others politically lie beyond our epistemic and moral capabilities.

Keywords: imago dei, artifactual man, Christianity, Virginial Political Economy, James M. Buchanan

JEL Classification: B31, P10, Z12

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Carden, Art and Carini, Jaime and Snow, Nathanael David, Artifactual Man and the Image of God (October 07, 2024). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4979253 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4979253