Hayek the Economist and Social Philosopher: A Critical Retrospect

This volume provides a critical assessment of the wide spectrum of Hayek's celebrated work as economist and social philosopher. Included are papers on Hayek's early writings in the field of monetary economics, on which his later campaign against inflation, his controversial proposal for competing currencies, and his negative view of the impact of trade unions on the economy are based. Hayek's social philosophy, often regarded as the centre piece of his famous work, and the fundamental findings about human thinking, society, the market system and social rules of conduct it is based on, is evaluated by leading contemporary social philosophers. The volume leaves little doubt as to the considerable impact of Hayek's thinking on economic policy and social philosophy. Front Matter....Pages i-xxvi Hayek, Marx and Keynes....Pages 1-7 The Connectionist Mind: A Study of Hayekian Psychology....Pages 9-36 Constitutional Ignorance, Spontaneous Order and Rule-Orientation: Hayekian Paradigms from a Policy Perspective....Pages 37-62 Hayek and the Limitations of Knowledge: Philosophical Aspects....Pages 63-93 A Note on Hayek’s Analysis of Scientism....Pages 95-124 Development in Hayek’s Social Theorising....Pages 125-154 Hayek III: The Necessity of Social Rules of Conduct....Pages 155-183 Hayek’s Suggestion for Currency Competition: A Central Banker’s View....Pages 185-194 From Neutral Money to Competing Currencies: Hayek on Monetary Policy....Pages 195-220 Hayek, the Purpose of the Market and American Economic Institutionalism....Pages 221-235 Hayek and Keynes on Capital....Pages 237-258 Hayek on Trade Unions: Social Philosopher or Propagandist?....Pages 259-280 Whatever Happened to Hayek?....Pages 281-309 Tribute to the Life and Work of Friedrich Hayek....Pages 311-312 Back Matter....Pages 313-324 Contributors look critically at Hayek's basic findings about human thinking, society, the market system and social rules of conduct. Themes which preoccupied Hayek over extensive periods, such as constitutional ignorance and spontaneous order, are used to deal with vital economic issues, including competition policy, industrial policy, and the transformation of former socialist systems. Also discussed are his limited knowledge theory, his earlier work on monetary economics, and his controversial proposal for competing currencies. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or. It may be thought somewhat unusual to club together the three economists discussed here.