Historical foundations of the relationship between Hayek and complexity

• Grant number: 15/00352-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: July 15, 2015
• End date: December 14, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Economics - Economic Theory
• Principal Investigator: Jorge Eduardo de Castro Soromenho
• Grantee: Gabriel Oliva Costa Cunha
• Supervisor: Bruce Caldwell
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade (FEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Duke University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/16125-0 - Hayek and complexity: coordination, evolution and methodology in adaptive social systems, BP.MS

Abstract

The affinity between the work of the Austrian economist Friedrich A. Hayek and the approach of Complexity Economics is widely recognized by the literature. In spite of this, there still is a lack of studies that seek to analyze in depth the relationship between Hayek and complexity. My dissertation thesis aims at filling this gap in the literature. More specifically, it is proposed the study of the relationship between Hayek and Complexity Economics in the context of the themes of coordination and evolution. Moreover, it is intended to analyze the methodology proposed by Hayek to the sciences that deal with complex phenomena. The aim of the proposed research internship is to better understand Hayek's conception of Complexity from a historical point of view. This will be done by means of studying the Complexity Theory of Hayek's time and exploring his interactions with the Complexity theorists of his days. (AU)