Rules, Function, and the Invisible Hand An Interpretation of Hayek's Social Theory

In: Philosophy of the social sciences: an international journal = Philosophie des sciences sociales, Band 22, Heft 1, S. 28-45

Abstract

Hayek's social theory presupposes that rules are unintended consequences of individual actions. This essay explicates one kind of Hayekian explanation of that claim. After noting the kinds of rules that Hayek believes are subject to such a theory, the essay distinguishes three functional explanations advocated by Hayek. He combines one of these functional explanations with an invisible hand explanation. A schema suitable for constructing invisible hand-functional evolutionary theories is employed to outline this combination.