About

I have been writing about praxeology since the 1990’s and publishing books and articles on praxeology since 2006.  My focus is on praxeology as a general science of human action with an emphasis on interpersonal action.

I’ve published my positive theoretical work in the following books and short books:

A Praxeology of Coercion (2006), A Praxeology of Coercion, 2nd Edition (2006), Striving and Attainment (2008), The Logic of Happiness (2009), Adam Knott – A Summary (2009), Ludwig von Mises and the Rational Basis for a Science of Ethical Actions (2010), Some Thoughts on Praxeology, Thymology, and the A Priori (2014), Introduction to the Theory of Interpersonal Action (2014), Why Are We Libertarians? (2014).

In addition to my positive theory, I’ve also published a number of critiques of Rothbardian social theory and the Rothbardian scholarship paradigm.  Rothbard held (contra Mises) that praxeology was primarily the formal study of economic (market) phenomena and that forms of action that are not directed toward the market (interpersonal action, political action, etc.) were to be studied by other disciplines such as objective ethics, natural law, argumentation ethics, etc.

I’ve argued against the Rothbardian conception and for the Misesian conception in which praxeology is the formal analysis of all varieties of human action, not merely those actions undertaken on the basis of monetary calculation.  These critiques also contain within them important elements of positive praxeology theory, especially my critique of Hoppe’s argumentation ethics and more recently my short book Praxeology and the Rothbardians.

My published critiques to date are: The Problem with Positive Ethics (2006), A Preliminary Critique of Hans-Hermann Hoppe’s Argumentation Ethics (2007, revised edition, 2013), Praxeology and Ethics (2008), Praxeology and the Rothbardians (2012), Hayek and Praxeology (2013).

I’ve posted extensively on the subject of praxeology at the Mises Institute community forum (2008-2013).  This forum was closed in May of 2013.

I may be reached at:  adamknott   at the domain  praxeology.com

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