Human Knowledge, Rules, and the Spontaneous Evolution of Society in the Social Thought of Darwin, Hayek, and Boulding

Thomas Marmefelt ()

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Abstract: In the social sciences, the label Darwinian often means a biological explanation of social phenomena. Both Hayek and Boulding adopt a Lamarckian approach to social evolution. Hayek shows that coordination of groups larger than hunting and gathering bands requires a cultural evolution of learnt rules. Boulding uses the notion of noosphere of human knowledge, where learning transmits the noogenetic structure. Hayek's and Boulding's Lamarckian theories are compared with Darwin's theory of social evolution to explore how the latter may be extended to explain the links between human knowledge, rules, and evolution of society, outlining a Darwinian social/cultural approach.

Keywords: A12; B31; B52; Darwin; Hayek; Boulding; Learning; Social evolution; Cultural evolution; Biological evolution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009-03-09
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-00677622
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Published in Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 2009, 71 (1), pp.62. ⟨10.1016/j.jebo.2009.02.013⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00677622

DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2009.02.013

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