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Butterfly Economics: A New General Theory of Social and Economic Behavior
First edition
AuthorPaul Ormerod
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
SubjectEconomics
PublisherFaber and Faber Limited
Publication date
1998
Pages217
ISBN0-571-19005-7
OCLC40624765
330.1 Economics

Butterfly Economics: A New General Theory of Social and Economic Behavior is a book by Paul Ormerod dealing with economic theory, published in 1998. The author uses a plethora of insect-related metaphors to show that an economy tends to function like a living organism and is thus able to learn and to adapt.

The theory presented by the book departs from conventional economic wisdom which understands individuals as isolated decision makers who act based on a rational evaluation of sufficient information about cost and benefits of respective choices. Butterfly economics adds interaction to the equation and argues that individuals interact when pursuing their interests, thereby gaining new information, which in turn influences their decision-making.

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