Description: Renaissance Europe witnessed a surge of interest in science, with new ideas and theories being applied to all aspects of life. Whilst the study of this Scientific Revolution has dramatically shifted our appreciation of many facets of the early-modern world, remarkably little attention has been paid to its influence upon one key area; that of economics. Through an interrogation of the relationship between economic and scientific developments in sixteenth, and seventeenth century Western Europe, this book demonstrates how a new economic epistemology appeared that was to have profound consequences both at the time, and for subsequent generations.
Review Quotes:
"... this is an ambitious, learned, and fascinating book. It is full of interesting observations and will provoke the attentive reader to revisit texts and assumptions about these. It will also inspire new research."
--Journal of the History of Economic Thought
"The author demonstrates enormous erudition and knowledge in assembling his case that origins are difficult and obscure and that they, as Foucault suggested, may not exist at all! Further he raises intriguing links between culture, psychology, medicine, biology and economic categories... As it is, Maifreda's reference-filled book is an important addition to our knowledge (such as it will ever be, as the author freely admits) of the origins of political economy."
--Professor Robert B. Ekelund, Jr., Department of Economics, Auburn University in EH.Net
"From Oikonomia to Political Economy will principally be of interest to historians of economic thought. Students of the broader Scientific Revolution will also find much relevant to the impact of the new developments in physical and biological science to changes in thought about society and economy."
--Sixteenth Century Journal
"A professional academic tends to read a great many books each year. This is expected and necessary in order to keep up with the latest trends and innovations within one's field. However, not all of these books get read cover-to-cover. Some turn out not to meet our expectations; others may contain slightly off-course chapters that we tend to skip or skim. And then there are the rare occasions when a book fully justifies a thorough and critical read. From Oikonomia to Political Economy is one of those books."
--British Journal for the History of Science
"The book is erudite and detailed. Maifreda does an impressive job contextualizing a broad and diverse set of writers and ideas."
--Renaissance Quarterly