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The Road to Servomechanisms: The Influence of Cybernetics on Hayek from The Sensory Order to the Social Order

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  • Gabriel Oliva

Abstract

This paper explores the ways in which c ybernetics influenced the works of F. A. Hayek from the late 1940s onwar d. It shows that the concept of negative feedback, borrowed from cybernetics, was central to Hayek’s attempt of giving an explanation of the principle to the emergence of human purposive behavior. Next, the paper discusses Ha yek’s later uses of cybernetic ideas in his works on the spontaneous formation of social orders. Finally, Hayek’s view on the appropriate scope of the use of cybernetics is considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriel Oliva, 2015. "The Road to Servomechanisms: The Influence of Cybernetics on Hayek from The Sensory Order to the Social Order," Center for the History of Political Economy Working Paper Series 2015-11, Center for the History of Political Economy.
    • Handle: RePEc:hec:heccee:2015-11
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    File URL: http://hope.econ.duke.edu/node/1180
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    Keywords

    Cybernetics; F. A. Hayek; Norbert Wien er; Garrett Hardin; Ludwig von Bertalanffy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B25 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Austrian; Stockholm School
    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals
    • C60 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - General

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