Moral and Aesthetic Agency at the Intersection of Art and Economics

The Spring 2021 FC Talks series is dedicated to our late colleague, Patrick Harless. Patrick Harless was an economist who joined the Freedom Center in 2018. He was a dedicated educator who, although his work was highly technical, was able to teach economic topics all levels of students. This memorial series brings together talks by Harless’s former PhD advisor, his co-authors, and our own faculty.

Robert Gordon is an Assistant Professor of General Studies at the Fred Fox School of Music and affiliated with the Freedom Center as well as the Center for Buddhist Studies here at the U of A. He is the Program Manager of the American Culture & Ideas Initiative and organizes The Voices of Culture Lecture Series. Before Patrick’s passing, he and Robert were co-developing a seminar on Arts, Economics, and Entrepreneurship, which Robert is going to talk about in his presentation.

Abstract
This talk explores the overlapping space within the concepts of culture, economics, and morality (think of a Venn diagram with three circles). One way to approach these topics together is to unpack their shared language and contemplate how the terminologies common to these fields intersect with lived experience. Terms like “value,” “agency,” and “success,” or phrases such as “time is money” and “net worth,” can mean different things in different disciplines. But does that imply that they mean different things to a person ensconced in a common culture where these fields exist simultaneously? Or, do people inflect such concepts in their daily lives as they psychologically navigate the panoply of choices that exist in the cultural landscape of contemporary life? This talk meditates on various aspects of culture, economics, and moral life with respect to identity, self-worth, and aesthetic judgment.  

This talk will be hosted on Zoom by Lucy Schwarz. Please contact Lucy for details if you are interested in attending or if you wish to be added to our listserv.

Event Contacts
Lucy Schwarz
luciaschwarz@email.arizona.edu