Hayek and Modern Evolutionary Theory

Hayek was a firm believer in the effect of evolution on human behavior. This was a real advance since he wrote in a time when most social scientists believed in the “blank slate” (Pinker, 2002) and denied the influence of biology on human actions. Moreover, Hayek got the basic outline of the problem right. Most of human existence has been spent in small groups (25–250 members) and many of our tastes and preferences have evolved in that setting. These tastes and preferences are not always adapted for modern mass societies with market economies and extensive division of labor and exchange. However, evolutionary science and particularly its applications to human beings have advanced since Hayek wrote, and some of the details of his analysis are no longer consistent with current theories. In this paper we consider some areas where Hayek wrote and compare his writing with more modern theories. We consider specifically: the Original Society; the Evolution of Society; the “New Social Order”; Individual and Group Selection; Religion; and Political Decisions. In all cases we consider first Hayek’s views, and then modern views on the same topic.