Spontaneous Order

This volume weaves the author's papers together, with new commentary and perspective, into a coherent whole that well exceeds the sum of its parts. The relevant audience is broad, as is the range of questions and techniques that appear in the volume. This is must reading, from a pioneer and leading contributor to the field, for anyone interested in the emergence of cooperation, social norms, and institutions. * Larry Samuelson, A. Douglas Melamed Professor of Economics, Yale University *
The question of how meaningful patterns of collective behavior-in a word 'order'-emerges out of the mess of uncoordinated individual beliefs, preferences, and information, lies at the heart of social science; and nobody has thought about this question more deeply than Peyton Young. In this one volume he has distilled decades of insights, bending rigorous mathematical models with simulations, experiments, and field data. The result will challenge and inspire students and experts alike. * Duncan Watts, Stevens University and Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor, University of Pennsylvania *
These essays are fundamental contributions to the theory of the dynamics underlying the emergence of Social Norms. They are essential for anyone in the field. * Brian Skyrms, author of The Stag Hunt and the Evolution of Social Structure *