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Darwinism in Economics: From Analogy to Continuity

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Author Info
Christian Cordes ()

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Abstract

Currently there is an ongoing discussion about how Darwinian concepts should be harnessed to further develop economic theory. Two approaches to this question, Universal Darwinism and the continuity hypothesis, are presented in this paper. It is shown whether abstract principles can be derived from Darwin’s explanatory model of biological evolution that can be applied to cultural evolution. Furthermore, the relation of the ontological basis of biological and cultural evolution is clarified. Some examples illustrate the respective potential of the two approaches to serve as a starting-point for theory development.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group in its series Papers on Economics and Evolution with number 2004-15.

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Length: 19 pages
Date of creation: Nov 2004
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:esi:evopap:2004-15

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Related research
Keywords: Economic selection theory; Economic theory development; Darwinism; Cultural evolution; Continuity hypothesis;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Institutional; Evolutionary
A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
D00 - Microeconomics - - General - - - General
O10 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Thorbj, rn Knudsen, 2002. "Economic selection theory," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 443-470. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Boyd, Robert & Richerson, Peter J., 1980. "Sociobiology, culture and economic theory," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 97-121, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Geoffrey Hodgson & Thorbjørn Knudsen, 2004. "The firm as an interactor: firms as vehicles for habits and routines," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 281-307, 07. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Jack Vromen, 2004. "Conjectural revisionary economic ontology: Outline of an ambitious research agenda for evolutionary economics," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 213-247, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Metcalfe, J S, 2001. "Institutions and Progress," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(3), pages 561-86, September.
  6. Ulrich Witt, 2004. "On Novelty and Heterogeneity," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2004-05, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group.
  7. Geoffrey M. Hodgson, 2002. "Darwinism in economics: from analogy to ontology," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 259-281. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Armen A. Alchian, 1950. "Uncertainty, Evolution, and Economic Theory," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58, pages 211. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. C. Cordes, 2004. "The Human Adaptation for Culture and its Behavioral Implications," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2003-10, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group.
    Other versions:
  10. Witt, Ulrich, 2000. "Changing Cognitive Frames--Changing Organizational Forms: An Entrepreneurial Theory of Organizational Development," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(4), pages 733-55, December.
  11. U. Witt, 2006. "Evolutionary Economics," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2006-05, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group.
  12. C. Cordes, 2003. "Long-term Tendencies in Technological Creativity - A Preference-based Approach," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2003-02, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group.
    Other versions:
  13. V. J. Vanberg, 2004. "Human Intentionality and Design In Cultural Evolution," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2004-02, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group.
  14. Hodgson, Geoffrey M. & Knudsen, Thorbjorn, 2006. "Why we need a generalized Darwinism, and why generalized Darwinism is not enough," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 1-19, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Howard Aldrich & Geoffrey Hodgson & David Hull & Thorbjørn Knudsen & Joel Mokyr & Viktor Vanberg, 2008. "In defence of generalized Darwinism," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 577-596, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Jack Vromen, 2007. "Generalized Darwinism in Evolutionary Economics: The Devil is in the Details," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2007-11, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group. [Downloadable!]
  3. Jack Vromen, 2008. "Ontological issues in evolutionary economics: The debate between Generalized Darwinism and the Continuity Hypothesis," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2008-05, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group. [Downloadable!]
  4. Karin Knottenbauer, 2009. "Recent Developments in Evolutionary Biology and Their Relevance for Evolutionary Economics," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2009-11, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group. [Downloadable!]
  5. Ulrich Witt, 2008. "What is specific about evolutionary economics?," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 547-575, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. G. Buenstorf, 2005. "How Useful Is Universal Darwinism as a Framework to Study Competition and Industrial Evolution?," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2005-02, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group.
  7. Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh & Giorgos Kallis, 2009. "Evolutionary Policy," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2009-02, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group. [Downloadable!]
  8. G. Buenstorf, 2006. "Perception and pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities: an evolutionary economics perspective," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2006-01, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group. [Downloadable!]
  9. Guido Buenstorf, 2007. "Creation and Pursuit of Entrepreneurial Opportunities: An Evolutionary Economics Perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 323-337, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Christian Schubert, 2009. "Darwinism in Economics and the Evolutionary Theory of Policy-Making," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2009-10, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group. [Downloadable!]
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