Evolving Evolutionary Economics

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12269
• Date: 01 September 2014
• Author: William Tankersley
• Published date: 01 September 2014

Book Reviews 671

Geof‌f rey M. Hodgson, From Pleasure Machines to

Moral Communities: An Evolutionary Economics

without Homo Economicus (Chicago: University

of Chicago Press, 2013). 305pp. $45.00 (cloth),

ISBN: 9780226922713; $36.00 (eBook), ISBN:

9789226922737.

In From Pleasure Machines to Moral Communities:

An Evolutionary Economics without Homo

Economicus, Geof‌f rey M. Hodgson, writing from

the dual perspectives of institutional economics and

evolutionary economics, challenges the major pil-

lars on which mainstream economics has rested: an

atomistic society comprising rational and self-inter-

ested economic man/woman driven by a one-dimen-

sional utility-maximization criterion. He suggests,

in the preface to the book, that “economic man has

been given too heavy a burden to bear. He has expired

under its weight. May he rest in peace” (ix).

 e book is presented in two sections, plus a f‌i nal

chapter that suggests a move away from policy

decisions based on narrow utilitarianism to deci-

sions based on a broader evolutionary and insti-

tutional approach.  e f‌i rst section of the book,

titled “Principles,” includes in-depth analysis of key

Evolving Evolutionary Economics

Sonia M. Ospina and Rogan Kersh, Editors

William Tankersley

University of West Florida

William B. Tankersley is associate

professor of public administration and

coordinator of public administration

programs, Department of Government,

and Department of Applied Science,

Technology and Administration at the

University of West Florida. His scholarly

works have appeared in such journals

as Journal of Public Administration

Research, Public Administration

Review, Administration & Society,

Psychological Reports, Israel Journal

of Psychiatry, Quality Management

Journal, Public Productivity and

Management Review, and Public

Administration Quarterly.

E-mail: wtankers@uwf.edu