The present volume seeks to inaugurate a new discussion of two schools of historical thought by social scientists, economists, and phi- losophers in the English language. The tradition of the "Historical and Ethical School of Economics" established by Friedrich List, Wilhelm Roscher, and Gustav Schmollerand the tradition of historism in the hu- manities represented by Wilhelm Dilthey are examined not so much for their own historical interest as for their potential systematic contribu- tion to the contemporary debates on business ethics, economics, sociol- ogy, and philosophy. The book contains the proceedings of the 1994 SEEP-Conference on Economics and Ethics held under the title "Economics and Ethics in the Historical School of Economics. Achievements and Present Relevance. Part A: The Older Historical School, Schmoller, Dilthey, and Others" with the financial support of the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, Cologne, at Kloster Marlenrode near Hitdesheim and Hannover, Gennany, on March 23rd to 27th, 1994. The SEEP-Conferences on Economics and Ethics are organised an- nually by the editor and the editorial board of Studies in Economic Ethics and Philosophy (SEEP). The 1994 SEEP-Conference was the frrst of two conferences on the Historical School and will be followed by a conference in 1996 on the topic "Economics and Ethics in the His- torical School of Economics. Achievements and Present Relevance. Part B: Heinrich Rickert, Max Weber, Werner Sombart, and Others", concen- trating on the discussion in the 20th century.

The volume at hand gives an exposition of the tradition of the Historical School of Economics and of the Geisteswissenschaften or human sciences, the latter in their development within the Historical School as well as in Neo-Kantianism and the sociology of knowledge. It continues the discussion started in the year 1994 on the Older Historical School of Economics and the 19th century German contribution to an ethical theory of economics with the Newer Historical School of the 20th century. Economists, social scientists, and philosophers examine the contribution of this tradition and its impact for present theory. The schools of thought and their approaches to economics as well as to the cultural and social sciences are examined here not as much for their historical interest as for their poten tial systematic contribution to the contemporary debates on economic ethics, economics, sociology, and philosophy. The volume at hand contains the proceedings of the Fourth Annual SEEP-Conference on Economic Ethics and Philosophy in 1996, "Economics and Ethics in the Historical School. Part B: Max Weber, Heinrich Rickert, Max Scheler, Werner Sombart, Arthur Spiethoff, John Commons, Alfred Marshall, and Others," held at Marienrode Monastery near Hannover, Germa ny, on March 27-30th, 1996, together with several additional invited papers."

The present volume seeks to inaugurate a new discussion of two schools of historical thought by social scientists, economists, and phi- losophers in the English language. The tradition of the "Historical and Ethical School of Economics" established by Friedrich List, Wilhelm Roscher, and Gustav Schmollerand the tradition of historism in the hu- manities represented by Wilhelm Dilthey are examined not so much for their own historical interest as for their potential systematic contribu- tion to the contemporary debates on business ethics, economics, sociol- ogy, and philosophy. The book contains the proceedings of the 1994 SEEP-Conference on Economics and Ethics held under the title "Economics and Ethics in the Historical School of Economics. Achievements and Present Relevance. Part A: The Older Historical School, Schmoller, Dilthey, and Others" with the financial support of the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, Cologne, at Kloster Marlenrode near Hitdesheim and Hannover, Gennany, on March 23rd to 27th, 1994. The SEEP-Conferences on Economics and Ethics are organised an- nually by the editor and the editorial board of Studies in Economic Ethics and Philosophy (SEEP). The 1994 SEEP-Conference was the frrst of two conferences on the Historical School and will be followed by a conference in 1996 on the topic "Economics and Ethics in the His- torical School of Economics. Achievements and Present Relevance. Part B: Heinrich Rickert, Max Weber, Werner Sombart, and Others", concen- trating on the discussion in the 20th century.