Abstract
This paper traces the philosophical and ethical development of debt and interest from ancient condemnation to modern acceptance, revealing how historical critiques can illuminate contemporary financial crises. Beginning with the idea of money as “unnatural” when it breeds itself, and drawing from classical and medieval prohibitions on usury, it follows key shifts in moral reasoning through the Reformation and Enlightenment. These conceptual transformations are placed in dialogue with modern critiques of debt, particularly when vital needs such as education and healthcare become subject to interest-bearing lending. Through a historical-philosophical lens, the paper argues that early moral safeguards, once intended to prevent exploitative lending, have been gradually dismantled, contributing to present-day debt burdens. It concludes by suggesting that reviving selected historical boundaries, such as interest caps or protections for existential loans, could inform financial reforms that better reflect principles of justice, dignity, and human flourishing.
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Articles in the same Issue
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- The Journey of Interest: Philosophical and Ethical Development from Ancient Rejection to the Modern Financial Crisis
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Research Articles
- The Four Causes Revisited: A Scholastic Framework for Analyzing Human Affairs
- A Qualitative Longitudinal Study on the Adaptation and Coping Strategies of Men with Testicular Cancer
- The Review of Female’s Intrasexual Competition of Birth and Motherhood in Digital Media
- Farmer-Herder Crises, Uncivil Discourses and the Politics of Nigeria’s Security Responses
- The Journey of Interest: Philosophical and Ethical Development from Ancient Rejection to the Modern Financial Crisis
- On the Need to Rethink the Way We Understand Growth: Media Evidence on Economic Growth as an Empty Signifier
- Understanding Predictors of Trust in Science Among University Students: Examining Scientific Reasoning, Cognitive Reflection, Education, and Personal Experiences with the Scientific Community
- The Moderating Role of Gender in Perceived Discrimination Levels and Political Participation of Turkish Women