An Inquiry into the Value of Work: A Discussion of Matt Crawford’s Shop Class as Soulcraft

Matthew Crawford, Kirk Doran, and Elisa Rubbo on October 10, 2024 at the University Club of Chicago. Published in 2009, Matthew Crawford’s Shop Class as Soulcraft became an unexpected best-seller. Written by a University of Chicago PhD and motorcycle mechanic, the book explored the value of craftsmanship and manual work in a world increasingly dominated by technology and abstract thinking. Drawing on his own experiences as a philosopher and motorcycle mechanic, Crawford argued that hands-on labor offers a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and autonomy often lacking in the world around us. The book delves into the intellectual and philosophical richness of craftsmanship, challenging the conventional wisdom that separates thinking from doing, and seeks to reintegrate man with the created world. In this downtown conversation, Crawford rehearsed the major themes of his bestseller. He then entered into conversation with experts in Catholic social thought to discuss the ways in which his insights about purposeful work and craft resonate with the Church’s insights about the dignity of labor and the value of the created world.