The Philosophy of Debt

'Debt is highly original contribution to applied philosophy; its sober and forceful arguments are presented with clarity and, without being moralistic, a high degree of moral urgency. Relying on conceptual analysis, logic, and empirical evidence, Douglas judiciously exposes many fallacies and popular myths about the nature of debt (and money). Douglas develops a sensible moral framework (traced back to David Hume and Anscombe) with which to understand and evaluate the modern institution of debt. It is public philosophy in the great tradition of Russell, Stebbing, Neurath, and Bedau.This quirky book is bound to be a classic itself and makes a useful companion to Graeber's Debt.' - Professor Eric Schliesser, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

'This is an extraordinary project and I am of the firm opinion that this book is not only original and highly useful, but, on occasion, also brilliant.' - Mark Peackock, York University, Canada

'Douglas demonstrates how philosophical tools can help us untangle our confused understanding of debt. Making the right moral and political choices about debt depends on this crucial project. This is an important contribution to the metaphysics, politics, and philosophy of money.' - David G. Dick, Ph.D., University of Calgary, Canada

'The Philosophy of Debt is a book full of examples and insights from many disciplines: history, economics, linguistics and ethics, among others. This richness has to be acknowledged. It helps the reader to understand what debt is, and it sheds new light on the normative issues that lie at its heart.' - Louis Larue, Universite catholique de Louvain