Economics and Evolution
Economics and Evolution
Bringing Life Back into Economics
Bringing Life Back into Economics
Polity Press, Cambridge and University of Michigan Press, 1993.
Also in Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese editions.
Warren Samuels (University of Michigan):
“This is a work of enormous perceptivity and subtlety, as well as judiciousness of interpretation and critique.”
Elias Khalil (Monash University, Australia):
“a must for anyone who is interested not only in the foundations of economics, but also in the foundations of social theory.”
Wolfgang Kerber (Bochum University, Germany), Constitutional Political Economy, 1996:
“Hodgson's book is an outstanding and highly rewarding work. Its value lies in his careful, subtle analyses, in his wealth of ideas, in his broad knowledge about new theoretical developments, in the abundance of literature he uses (including a 60 pages covering carefully selected bibliography!), in his fresh (institutionalist) look at a number of seemingly familiar problems (known often only from a Schumpeterian or Hayekian point of view), but most important is the stimulating and thought-provoking character of Hodgson's argumentations. For all, who are really interested in the fundamentals of evolutionary economics, Hodgson's book can be highly recommended.”
Philip Mirowski (University of Notre Dame), Economics and Philosophy, October 1995:
“Geoffrey Hodgson’s new book ... is one of the most important books published in the history of economic thought in the last decade. ... Hodgson is quite simply the first economist who has bothered to acquaint himself sufficiently with the literature of biology, both current and historical, as well as the primary texts in the history of economic thought, and therefore is the first to display depth, insight and discrimination in describing the place of ideas of evolution in economics.”
Munir Quddus (University of Southern Indiana) Southern Economic Journal, October 1995:
“This book ... is a bold, and in my opinion, successful attempt to present the analytical history of evolutionary theorizing in economics. ... I would recommend this book ... This reviewer is particularly impressed by the growth and maturity in Geoff Hodgson’s scholarship ...”
Lawrence Moss (Babson College) Marshall Studies Bulletin, 1994:
“For those mortgaging their neoclassical libraries to make that triumphant pilgrimage to the Mecca of economic biology, then Hodgson’s book is a must read.”
Richard H. Day (University of Southern California) Journal of Economic Literature, Sept 1995:
“Hodgson’s contribution is particularly useful for it reminds those who know and will inform those who do not yet have a clue that adaptive-evolutionary concepts ... were placed at the center of theory in this century by such diverse thinkers as Veblen, Commons, Schumpeter, and Hayek. ... I personally found the book extremely useful and stimulating. I will be thinking about the issues it raises and hope my own work will be better informed as a result.”
John Maloney (University of Exeter) Economic Journal, Nov 1995.
“There is clearly a rich and exciting research programme here. ... The contrast with the desiccated menu we are given for macroeconomics could hardly be more striking. ... Let us hope some appetites will be wetted.”
Walter Allen, Times Literary Supplement, 4 March 1994:
“Hodgson makes a compelling case for economists to learn from biology ... Hodgson’s discussion of these theorists is superb ... Economics and Evolution is a rich and rewarding analysis of how evolutionary theory can be used (and misused) in the service of social science.”
Peter A. Corning, I, 18(4), 1996:
“Hodgson’s volume is a work of deep and meticulous scholarship … that … methodically reconstructs the history of evolutionary thinking in economics … Many of these theorists are cast in a new light. However, Hodgson's purpose is not merely to summarize their work but to critique their ideas in light of our modern understanding of biological evolution, which he has taken the trouble to master, and in this respect alone he has made an enduring contribution to economic theory.”
“This is a work of enormous perceptivity and subtlety, as well as judiciousness of interpretation and critique.”
Elias Khalil (Monash University, Australia):
“a must for anyone who is interested not only in the foundations of economics, but also in the foundations of social theory.”
Wolfgang Kerber (Bochum University, Germany), Constitutional Political Economy, 1996:
“Hodgson's book is an outstanding and highly rewarding work. Its value lies in his careful, subtle analyses, in his wealth of ideas, in his broad knowledge about new theoretical developments, in the abundance of literature he uses (including a 60 pages covering carefully selected bibliography!), in his fresh (institutionalist) look at a number of seemingly familiar problems (known often only from a Schumpeterian or Hayekian point of view), but most important is the stimulating and thought-provoking character of Hodgson's argumentations. For all, who are really interested in the fundamentals of evolutionary economics, Hodgson's book can be highly recommended.”
Philip Mirowski (University of Notre Dame), Economics and Philosophy, October 1995:
“Geoffrey Hodgson’s new book ... is one of the most important books published in the history of economic thought in the last decade. ... Hodgson is quite simply the first economist who has bothered to acquaint himself sufficiently with the literature of biology, both current and historical, as well as the primary texts in the history of economic thought, and therefore is the first to display depth, insight and discrimination in describing the place of ideas of evolution in economics.”
Munir Quddus (University of Southern Indiana) Southern Economic Journal, October 1995:
“This book ... is a bold, and in my opinion, successful attempt to present the analytical history of evolutionary theorizing in economics. ... I would recommend this book ... This reviewer is particularly impressed by the growth and maturity in Geoff Hodgson’s scholarship ...”
Lawrence Moss (Babson College) Marshall Studies Bulletin, 1994:
“For those mortgaging their neoclassical libraries to make that triumphant pilgrimage to the Mecca of economic biology, then Hodgson’s book is a must read.”
Richard H. Day (University of Southern California) Journal of Economic Literature, Sept 1995:
“Hodgson’s contribution is particularly useful for it reminds those who know and will inform those who do not yet have a clue that adaptive-evolutionary concepts ... were placed at the center of theory in this century by such diverse thinkers as Veblen, Commons, Schumpeter, and Hayek. ... I personally found the book extremely useful and stimulating. I will be thinking about the issues it raises and hope my own work will be better informed as a result.”
John Maloney (University of Exeter) Economic Journal, Nov 1995.
“There is clearly a rich and exciting research programme here. ... The contrast with the desiccated menu we are given for macroeconomics could hardly be more striking. ... Let us hope some appetites will be wetted.”
Walter Allen, Times Literary Supplement, 4 March 1994:
“Hodgson makes a compelling case for economists to learn from biology ... Hodgson’s discussion of these theorists is superb ... Economics and Evolution is a rich and rewarding analysis of how evolutionary theory can be used (and misused) in the service of social science.”
Peter A. Corning, I, 18(4), 1996:
“Hodgson’s volume is a work of deep and meticulous scholarship … that … methodically reconstructs the history of evolutionary thinking in economics … Many of these theorists are cast in a new light. However, Hodgson's purpose is not merely to summarize their work but to critique their ideas in light of our modern understanding of biological evolution, which he has taken the trouble to master, and in this respect alone he has made an enduring contribution to economic theory.”