Human Action, Chapters 1–3
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Writer
Liberalism Reading Group for Beg
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Date and Time: August 12, 2026, 21:00
Location: Online
Participants: kdg, mori, 자유, g, 벤치프레스
Book Title: Human Action
Author: Ludwig von Mises
Year Published: 1949
Assigned Reading: Chapters 1–3
[The Basic Epistemology of Praxeology]
Beginning from the axiom that “Man acts,” the presentation clearly explained that all action is a rational, purpose-oriented process aimed at removing dissatisfaction.
Unlike the natural sciences (empiricism), which rely on statistics and experiments, it emphasized that economics, as a complex social science, must be an “a priori science” that starts from unshakable propositions.
It identified as the core themes of Chapters 1–3 “methodological individualism,” which takes concrete individuals rather than groups as the unit of analysis, and the fallacy of “polylogism,” the idea—seen in Marxism, for example—that logical structures differ according to class.
[In-Depth Discussion: Subjectivism and the Expansion of Key Concepts]
It was further noted that economics is a great discipline that goes beyond statecraft or ethics and discovers the spontaneous social laws formed through the interaction of individuals’ “subjective preferences.”
By comparing simple unconscious sleep with sleep for the purpose of rest, the group reaffirmed that only intentional action involving social relations and cooperation qualifies as genuine “action” in the Misesian sense.
The view was shared that “Methodological Singularism” should be translated not as a vague “monism,” but in a way that conveys concrete “particularity” or “individuality.”
There was broad agreement that “polylogism,” a term often used by the left, is a classic logical fallacy: when theoretical refutation becomes difficult, they attack not the message but the messenger (background, class), using it as an escape.
[Extended Discussion: Historical Context and Comparison with Other Schools]
The discussion examined the historical context of the 1940s, when Nazism and totalitarianism were on the rise, and analyzed Mises’s intention to systematize economics into a complete logical textbook.
Mentioning the early common ground between Friedman (the Chicago School), who emphasized the money supply, and Keynes, the group also discussed Hayek’s perspective criticizing the “constructivist fallacy” of Keynesianism, which placed blind faith in artificial human control.
[The Universality of Reason and a Desirable Culture of Discussion]
This led to the insight that the reason Mises firmly defended “reason” was that only by presupposing the universality of human reason can peaceful persuasion and social cooperation (market exchange) truly become possible.
It was confirmed that the reason criticized by Hayek or Professor Minkyung Kook was the arrogant “constructivist reason” that believes it can design the world, and that this differs in character from the reason Mises emphasized as the basis of action.
[Conclusion and Expectations Going Forward]
Although it is a difficult foundational work, participants encouraged one another by saying that if they persevere and finish it, it will become an excellent theoretical weapon for overcoming shallow knowledge.
The meeting closed with a concise summary of the first session: “All action is a purposeful, subjective choice, and social phenomena must begin from individual decision-making, not from large collective groups.”
The first meeting ended on a warm note with the constructive suggestion that, when reading shorter books in the future, they try a traditional close-reading format in which participants take turns interpreting each sentence in depth.
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Original title: <인간행동> 1~3장
Author: Jayujuui Ipmun Dokseo Toron Moim
Date: 2026-08-14
Source: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=reading01&pn=1&idx=29376