Ebook: Evolution, Time, Production and the Environment

This second edition is brought about by two factors. First, the initial printing sold out much more rapidly than we expected. Second, several colleagues have been kind enough to suggest that this book not only has a contribution to make to ecological economics, but also has relevance to economics general. Thus our OUf distinction distinction between between genotypic genotypic and phenotypic evolution may be used to characterise not only economic sectors, but also whole economies, and in particular economic schools of thought. For instance, the Austrian subjectivist school deals explicitly with ignorance and the emergence of novelty, and may therefore be used to analyse genotypic development. In contrast, neoclassical economics deals principally with phenotypic development. When Dr. Müller Muller of Springer-Verlag suggested the production of a second edition, we were therefore pleased that this book might remain available. Several readers and in particular reviewers of the first edition remarked, in one way or the other, that they had questions concerning several of our OUf concepts, concepts, such as genotype, phenotype, ignorance, surprise, sUlprise, novelty, novelty, knowledge, knowledge, predictable predictable and unpredictable processes etc. Of course, all these concepts are of importance for evolution in general and for invention and innovation of new techniques in particular. We therefore considered some modifications and extensions of the original text, but on the advice of colleagues, have restricted oUfselves ourselves to correcting mistakes that crept into the first edition and to two extensions ofthe of the text, text, one major, one smaller.

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This book is concerned with the long-run interactions between the economy and the natural environment. Part II explores and develops the concept of evolution, in particular distinguishing between evolution which does not involve the emergence of novelty, and evolution where novelty does occur. In Part III three types of time irreversibility are developed, and these concepts are used to show how time has been treated in the natural sciences, and also to typify various schools of economic thought. Part IV addresses the problem of "ignorance" in philosophy and science, particularly with respect to the conceptualization, study and solution of environmental problems. Part V is concerned with the economic modelling of the above concepts. It extends and adapts neo-Austrian capital theory to provide a basis for the modelling of long-run economy-environment interactions. A heuristic simulation model is described, and its simulation results are discussed. Part VI draws some lessons from the earlier discussion and analysis. It also stresses the role and the importance of interdisciplinary work for the understanding of relationships between economic activity and the natural environment.

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This book is concerned with the long-run interactions between the economy and the natural environment. Part II explores and develops the concept of evolution, in particular distinguishing between evolution which does not involve the emergence of novelty, and evolution where novelty does occur. In Part III three types of time irreversibility are developed, and these concepts are used to show how time has been treated in the natural sciences, and also to typify various schools of economic thought. Part IV addresses the problem of "ignorance" in philosophy and science, particularly with respect to the conceptualization, study and solution of environmental problems. Part V is concerned with the economic modelling of the above concepts. It extends and adapts neo-Austrian capital theory to provide a basis for the modelling of long-run economy-environment interactions. A heuristic simulation model is described, and its simulation results are discussed. Part VI draws some lessons from the earlier discussion and analysis. It also stresses the role and the importance of interdisciplinary work for the understanding of relationships between economic activity and the natural environment.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xix
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Introduction....Pages 3-13
Front Matter....Pages 15-15
The Concept of Evolution....Pages 17-42
An Evolutionary Approach to Production and Innovation....Pages 43-58
Front Matter....Pages 59-59
Economic Analysis and Concepts of Time Irreversibility....Pages 61-80
Time in the Natural Sciences: Some Lessons for Economics....Pages 81-92
Time, Conceptual Structures and Economic Schools of Thought....Pages 93-103
Front Matter....Pages 105-105
An Anatomy of Surprise and Ignorance....Pages 107-133
Front Matter....Pages 135-135
Economy-Environment Interactions in the Long-Run....Pages 137-148
Production, Accumulation and Time: A Neo-Austrian Approach....Pages 149-185
The Neo-Austrian Approach: Extensions to the Model....Pages 186-215
A Neo-Austrian Simulation Model of Economy-Environment Interactions....Pages 216-253
Front Matter....Pages 255-255
Policy Implications and the Need for Interdisciplinary Research....Pages 257-269
Back Matter....Pages 270-288

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This book is concerned with the long-run interactions between the economy and the natural environment. Part II explores and develops the concept of evolution, in particular distinguishing between evolution which does not involve the emergence of novelty, and evolution where novelty does occur. In Part III three types of time irreversibility are developed, and these concepts are used to show how time has been treated in the natural sciences, and also to typify various schools of economic thought. Part IV addresses the problem of "ignorance" in philosophy and science, particularly with respect to the conceptualization, study and solution of environmental problems. Part V is concerned with the economic modelling of the above concepts. It extends and adapts neo-Austrian capital theory to provide a basis for the modelling of long-run economy-environment interactions. A heuristic simulation model is described, and its simulation results are discussed. Part VI draws some lessons from the earlier discussion and analysis. It also stresses the role and the importance of interdisciplinary work for the understanding of relationships between economic activity and the natural environment.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xix
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Introduction....Pages 3-13
Front Matter....Pages 15-15
The Concept of Evolution....Pages 17-42
An Evolutionary Approach to Production and Innovation....Pages 43-58
Front Matter....Pages 59-59
Economic Analysis and Concepts of Time Irreversibility....Pages 61-80
Time in the Natural Sciences: Some Lessons for Economics....Pages 81-92
Time, Conceptual Structures and Economic Schools of Thought....Pages 93-103
Front Matter....Pages 105-105
An Anatomy of Surprise and Ignorance....Pages 107-133
Front Matter....Pages 135-135
Economy-Environment Interactions in the Long-Run....Pages 137-148
Production, Accumulation and Time: A Neo-Austrian Approach....Pages 149-185
The Neo-Austrian Approach: Extensions to the Model....Pages 186-215
A Neo-Austrian Simulation Model of Economy-Environment Interactions....Pages 216-253
Front Matter....Pages 255-255
Policy Implications and the Need for Interdisciplinary Research....Pages 257-269
Back Matter....Pages 270-288
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