Invisible Hands: Self-Organization and the Eighteenth Century

Eighteenth-century Europeans developed a new appreciation for the complexity of things, recognizing the world's disorder and randomness. They believed that order would emerge on its own without external design or direction, and Invisible Hands traces the many appearances of this language of self-organization in various domains. It is a landmark contribution to the history of the Enlightenment and eighteenth-century culture.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 06 December 2022
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

The eighteenth century witnessed a profound shift in intellectual and cultural developments, marked by a reevaluation of traditional beliefs about the order of the world. Earlier notions of divine providence or natural mechanical processes gave way to a more complex understanding of the world's order. This shift was driven by a newfound appreciation for the complexity of things, a recognition of the world's disorder and randomness, and doubts about simple relations of cause and effect.

As a result, eighteenth-century Europeans began to imagine the world's orders, whether natural or manmade, as self-organizing. They believed that large systems could emerge on their own without any need for external design or direction. This belief was expressed in various ways throughout the eighteenth century, across an array of domains, including religion, society, philosophy, science, politics, economy, and law.

In Invisible Hands, Jonathan Sheehan and Dror Wahrman trace the many appearances of the language of self-organization in the eighteenth-century West. They show how and why this way of thinking came into the public view, then grew in prominence and arrived at the threshold of the nineteenth century in versatile, multifarious, and often surprising forms. Offering a new synthesis of intellectual and cultural developments, Invisible Hands is a landmark contribution to the history of the Enlightenment and eighteenth-century culture.

The language of self-organization emerged in the eighteenth century as a response to the challenges posed by the complex and unpredictable world. It was a way of thinking that emphasized the importance of natural processes and the ability of systems to organize themselves without external intervention. This approach was particularly prevalent in the fields of science, where the study of natural phenomena led to a deeper understanding of the laws of nature and the self-organization of complex systems.

In religion, the language of self-organization was used to explain the workings of the divine. It was believed that God created the world through natural processes and that the universe was self-organizing and self-maintaining. This belief was expressed in various religious traditions, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, and was often used to justify the existence of a divine creator.

In society, the language of self-organization was used to explain the functioning of social systems. It was believed that societies were self-organizing and that individuals were part of a larger system that was governed by natural laws. This belief was expressed in various social theories, including those of Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels, and was often used to justify the existence of social hierarch

In philosophy, the language of self-organization was used to explain the workings of the mind and the brain. It was believed that the mind was self-organizing and that the brain was a complex system that was governed by natural laws. This belief was expressed in various philosophical traditions, including those of Descartes, Locke, and Kant, and was often used to justify the existence of a conscious mind.

In science, the language of self-organization was used to explain the functioning of natural systems. It was believed that natural systems were self-organizing and that they were governed by natural laws. This belief was expressed in various scientific theories, including those of Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel, and Alfred Russel Wallace, and was often used to justify the existence of natural selection.

In politics, the language of self-organization was used to explain the functioning of political systems. It was believed that political systems were self-organizing and that they were governed by natural laws. This belief was expressed in various political theories, including those of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and was often used to justify the existence of government.

In economics, the language of self-organization was used to explain the functioning of economic systems. It was believed that economic systems were self-organizing and that they were governed by natural laws. This belief was expressed in various economic theories, including those of Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels, and was often used to justify the existence of capitalism.

In law, the language of self-organization was used to explain the functioning of legal systems. It was believed that legal systems were self-organizing and that they were governed by natural laws. This belief was expressed in various legal theories, including those of John Austin, Jeremy Bentham, and John Rawls, and was often used to justify the existence of law.

The language of self-organization was not without its critics, however. Some argued that it was too simplistic and that it ignored the role of human agency and intention in shaping the world. Others argued that it was too deterministic and that it ignored the role of chance and contingency in shaping the world.

Despite these criticisms, the language of self-organization continued to gain popularity in the eighteenth century and was eventually adopted by many thinkers and intellectuals throughout the world. It became a central theme in the Enlightenment, particularly in the works of thinkers such as John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Immanuel Kant. It also became a central theme in the works of many scientists and philosophers, including Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel, and Alfred Russel Wallace.

In conclusion, the language of self-organization emerged in the eighteenth century as a response to the challenges posed by the complex and unpredictable world. It was a way of thinking that emphasized the importance of natural processes and the ability of systems to organize themselves without external intervention. It was used in various fields, including religion, society, philosophy, science, politics, economy, and law, and was eventually adopted by many thinkers and intellectuals throughout the world. While it was not without its critics, the language of self-organization continued to gain popularity and was eventually adopted by many thinkers and intellectuals throughout the world. It remains a central theme in the history of the Enlightenment and eighteenth-century culture.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226824048