Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version nyu B notes v1.5 12/10/84; site acf4.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!mcnc!philabs!cmcl2!acf4!mms1646 From: mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: Re: Explorations of "social-interest": Origins of Human Society Message-ID: <2380073@acf4.UUCP> Date: Wed, 3-Jul-85 20:56:00 EDT Article-I.D.: acf4.2380073 Posted: Wed Jul 3 20:56:00 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 06:29:00 EDT References: <373@spar.UUCP> Organization: New York University Lines: 17 >/* lkk@teddy.UUCP / 1:27 pm Jul 2, 1985 */ >Consider how many men (or women) actually make conscious decisions >about the future of society. Most people are born into a society, and >live by its rules as the default behavior. Societies seem to change >in ways which can't be predicted by using only rational self-interest as a >motivating force. What you need to consider is that society or aspects of society are products of "human action" but not always of human design as Hayek has pointed out. The net result of the aggregate of human activity whose goal it is to maximize individuals' self-interest can and does lead to organization. So you are probably right that these changes can't be predicted, because they are the aggregate result of many decisions made by many individuals, far too many for anyone or any reasonable sized group to keep track of. Mike Sykora