Economics, Module 0: The Constraints of Personhood episode artwork

EPISODE · May 26, 2026 · 12 MIN

Economics, Module 0: The Constraints of Personhood

from Conjecture Institute · host conjectureinstitute

In explaining the regularities of an economy, of the conditions under which wealth can and cannot grow, we may begin with the fact that man acts purposefully—that is, he employs some scarce means to achieve some desired ends. This is typically called the action axiom, but I prefer to call it the action conjecture. As with many apparently simple principles in science and philosophy, the action conjecture and its logical consequences will take us very far in our journey to explain how wealth is created, how resources are allocated, and how individuals coordinate their idiosyncratic means and ends between each other and with their future selves.   Written version: https://conjectureinstitute.org/courses/economics/Economics%20Module%200.pdf   Discover more course modules: https://conjectureinstitute.org/university/courses

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 26, 2026

In explaining the regularities of an economy, of the conditions under which wealth can and cannot grow, we may begin with the fact that man acts purposefully—that is, he employs some scarce means to achieve some desired ends. This is typically called the action axiom, but I prefer to call it the action conjecture. As with many apparently simple principles in science and philosophy, the action conjecture and its logical consequences will take us very far in our journey to explain how wealth is created, how resources are allocated, and how individuals coordinate their idiosyncratic means and ends between each other and with their future selves.   Written version: https://conjectureinstitute.org/courses/economics/Economics%20Module%200.pdf   Discover more course modules: https://conjectureinstitute.org/university/courses

PodParley-generated summary based on available episode metadata and transcript content.

NOW PLAYING

Economics, Module 0: The Constraints of Personhood

0:00 12:07

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Conjecture Institute?

This episode is 12 minutes long.

When was this Conjecture Institute episode published?

This episode was published on May 26, 2026.

What is this episode about?

In explaining the regularities of an economy, of the conditions under which wealth can and cannot grow, we may begin with the fact that man acts purposefully—that is, he employs some scarce means to achieve some desired ends. This is typically...

Can I download this Conjecture Institute episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!