Evolutionary Social Theory and Political Economy

Introduction



Goal and Purpose of this Study



Scope and Method of this Study



Plan of this Study

1: The Origins of Evolutionary Social Theory



Introduction



Natural Philosophy and the Newtonian World View



Civil, or Moral Philosophy



Philosophical History and Political Economy in the Scottish and French Enlightenment



Conclusion

2: The Development of Evolutionary Social Theory: 1815-1871



Introduction



Philosophy of Science in the Early and Mid-19th Century



Evolutionary Theory: Biological and Social before Darwin



The Trajectory of Political Economy



Darwin's Biology



The Ramifications of Darwin's Theories



Conclusion

3: Social Evolutionism and Political Economy after Darwin



Introduction



Darwin's Impact on Philosophy of Science



The More General Theory of Sociology



The End of Political Economy: Marx, Marshall and Veblen



Conclusion

4: The Denouement of Evolutionary Social Theory






Introduction



Philosophy of Science in the Early and Mid-20th Century



Evolutionary Social Theory: Marginalization and Reaction in the Social Sciences



Conclusion

5: The Resurrection of Evolutionary Social Theory: Back to the Center?






Introduction



Philosophy of Science: Neo-Positivism



Ontology and Epistemology: Critical Realism and Critical Common Sensism



Contemporary Evolutionary Biology: An Overview



Biology and Evolutionary Social Theory



Toward the Neo-Evolutionary Synthesis



Conclusion

6: Conclusion