Evolution as a general theoretical framework for economics and public policy

David Sloan Wilson and John Gowdy

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2013, vol. 90, issue S, S3-S10

Abstract: Economic and evolutionary thinking have been entwined throughout their histories, but evolutionary theory does not function as a general theoretical framework for economics and public policy, as it does for the biological sciences. In this lead article for a special issue of the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, we first describe how evolution functions as a general theoretical framework in the biological sciences. Then we consider four reasons why evolution might not need to be consulted for human-related subjects such as economics and public policy. We conclude that these reasons can be valid in particular cases, but they fail for any sizeable human-related subject area. Hence evolution can and should become a general theoretical framework for economics and public policy. The other articles in the special issue help to substantiate this claim.

Keywords: Adaptation; Economic history; Evolution; Public policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B52 C73 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (26)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:90:y:2013:i:s:p:s3-s10

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2012.12.008

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