The book opens with a discussion of the attributes of God, His mind, and His will. It then describes how God created man in His image, with purpose, mind, and will, and gave man His first command: "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." How we can know what is true of God's creation is discussed in relation to the 3 levels of knowledge, a concept that explains why humans act not according to what is true but on what they believe to be true. "Subduing the earth" is described as the management of what is scarce: the things of the material world and the limited lifetimes of the men who want to subdue it. The book describes fundamental economic science that applies to all voluntary actions, good or evil, and discusses economic ethics: proper choice of means as well as results. The author was born in Chicago in 1926. He received a public education through High School. At Northwestern University (Illinois), which he attended on the G.I. Bill, he was awarded B.S., M.S., and M.D. degrees. During his active practice of surgery: 1958-1997 in Illinois and Indiana, his self-education continued through his acquaintance and correspondence with a wide variety of learned people, who inspired him and directed his reading and study. They included Leonard Read, Ludwig Von Mises, Henry Morris, John Whitcomb, Roland McCune, George Roche, Richard Ebeling, R.C. Sproul, Jacob Hornberger, and Pastor Erwin Lutzer. Retirement in Chicago has given him more time to study a wide range of ideas and controversies involving the theological implications of economics, government, social action, etc. from an academic point of view. Dr. Butz has published surgical papers in professional journals, as well as articles on the medical insurance idea.
