From Pleasure Machines to Moral Communities

An Evolutionary Economics without Homo economicus

Cloth $45.00 ISBN: 9780226922713 Published November 2012

E-book $7.00 to $36.00 About E-books ISBN: 9780226922737 Published November 2012

Are humans at their core seekers of their own pleasure or cooperative members of society? Paradoxically, they are both. Pleasure-seeking can take place only within the context of what works within a defined community, and central to any community are the evolved codes and principles guiding appropriate behavior, or morality. The complex interaction of morality and self-interest is at the heart of Geoffrey M. Hodgson’s approach to evolutionary economics, which is designed to bring about a better understanding of human behavior.

In From Pleasure Machines to Moral Communities, Hodgson casts a critical eye on neoclassical individualism, its foundations and flaws, and turns to recent insights from research on the evolutionary bases of human behavior. He focuses his attention on the evolution of morality, its meaning, why it came about, and how it influences human attitudes and behavior. This more nuanced understanding sets the stage for a fascinating investigation of its implications on a range of pressing issues drawn from diverse environments, including the business world and crucial policy realms like health care and ecology.

This book provides a valuable complement to Hodgson’s earlier work with Thorbjørn Knudsen on evolutionary economics in Darwin’s Conjecture, extending the evolutionary outlook to include moral and policy-related issues.

Review Quotes

Peter Corning, Institute for the Study of Complex Systems and author of Holistic Darwinism and The Fair Society

“In his bold and thought-provoking new book, Geoffrey M. Hodgson exposes the deficiencies in ‘methodological individualism’ and shows how the neoclassical model of human nature is a crude caricature when it comes to dealing with the emergent dynamics of collective phenomena. In doing so, he provides much-needed clarification to our often muddy economic debate.”

Richard Nelson, Columbia University

"Modern mainline economics has shown itself to be woefully inept at illuminating the workings of modern economies. Among the economists who are trying to help the discipline to reform, Geoffrey M. Hodgson stands out as one of the most creative and sensible."

Wolfgang Streeck, Max Plank Institute for the Study of Societies

"An outstanding product of impressive scholarship that makes the reader painfully aware of how much we lost when economics became orthodox. It is hard to say what one must admire more: the author’s profound familiarity with economic theory—both traditional and modern—or his original application of evolutionary reasoning to economic and social life, without falling into the trap of biologistic reductionism."

Ulrich Witt, Max Plank Institute of Economics

"Geoffrey M. Hodgson presents in this thought-provoking book a view of human sociality and moral concerns that is deeply rooted in an evolutionary worldview—and demonstrates the relevance of his vision. Highlighting morality issues in business enterprises, health services, the environmental crisis and, not least, corruption as a scourge of human sociality, he offers deep new insights."

For more information, or to order this book, please visit http://www.press.uchicago.edu

Economics and Business: Economics--General Theory and Principles

Political Science: Political and Social Theory

Sociology: Individual, State and Society

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