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Social evolution: Learning theory applied to group action

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Abstract

This article aims at showing that an individualistic explanation of societal evolution is possible as well as fruitful. In order to accomplish that an individualistic theory (value expectancy or utility theory) is applied to explain the development of an ‘utopian’ group. Conditions are specified under which this system develops in different ways. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the application of individualistic theories results in the modification of some existing hypotheses, for example, from marxist writings. The paper also explores the logic and possibilities of constructing evolutionary hypotheses.

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Bibliography

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Seminar für Sozialwissenschaften Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Karl-Dieter Opp

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  1. Karl-Dieter Opp
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Additional information

This paper has been translated from German by Claus Frank, with help from Claudia Wawrzinek. I am grateful to Claus Frank for some valuable criticism, especially concerning the formalization in note 3.

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Opp, KD. Social evolution: Learning theory applied to group action. Theor Decis 10, 229–243 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00126340

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00126340

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