Markets for complex, multi-faceted goods normally require a complex institutionalframework to function properly, i.e., to lead to patterns of outcomes that are deemedacceptable by the individuals involved. This paper examines the institutionalunderpinnings of the market for urban land use...

According to the principle of Normative Individualism, the evaluation of economicstates and processes should be guided exclusively by the wishes of the individuals whoare seen as the only bearer of values. Despite its intuitive appeal and its almost universalacceptance in normative economics...

According to the advocates of a “Generalized Darwinism” (GD), the three coreDarwinian principles of variation, selection and retention (or inheritance) can be used as ageneral framework for the development of theories explaining evolutionary processes inthe socioeconomic domain. Even though...

Schumpeter’s and Hayek’s view of market coordination as being not aboutefficiency, but about endogenous change and never-ending discovery has beenincreasingly recognized even by the mainstream of economics. Underlying this view isthe notion of creative learning agents who bring about...

Behavioral (e.g. consumption) patterns of boundedly rational agents can lead these agents intolearning dynamics that appear to be “wasteful” in terms of well-being or welfare. Within settingsdisplaying preference endogeneity, it is however still unclear how to conceptualize well-being.This...

Normative reasoning in welfare economics and social contract theory usually presumesinvariable, context-independent individual preferences. Following recent work particularlyin behavioral economics this assumption is difficult to defend. This paper therefore exploreswhat can be said about...

This paper delivers a step toward a naturalistic foundation of the social contract. While mainstream social contract theory is based on an original position model that is defined in an aprioristic way, we endogenize its key elements, i.e., develop them out of the individuals' moral common sense....

According to the principle of Normative Individualism, the evaluation of economic states and processes should be guided exclusively by the wishes of the individuals who are seen as the only bearer of values. Despite its intuitive appeal and its almost universal acceptance in normative economics...

Markets for complex, multi-faceted goods normally require a complex institutional framework to function properly, i.e., to lead to patterns of outcomes that are deemed acceptable by the individuals involved. This paper examines the institutional underpinnings of the market for urban land use...

Economic change, while creating innovation and growth, at the same time generates gales of creative destruction. It is still largely unclear what this concept implies for the task of assessing welfare (and, correspondingly, the need for and scope of policy-making) in a novelty-generating,...