Examining the concept of the 'invisible hand' in Adam Smith's political philosophy and relating it to similar concepts in the works of Smith, Hume, Hayek and Popper, this text reveals a distinctive approach to social theory that stresses the unintended consequences of human action.

While setting out a clear framework of the idea of spontaneous order, the book also builds the case for using this as an explanatory social theory, with chapters on its application in the fields of science, moral philosophy, law and government.

Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
Chapter One Spontaneous Order and Liberal Political Thought
Chapter Two The Science of Man
Chapter Three The Science of Morals
Chapter Four The Science of Jurisprudence
Chapter Five The Science of Political Economy
Chapter Six The Evolution of Science
Chapter Seven The Evolution of Morality
Chapter Eight The Evolution of Law and Government
Chapter Nine The Evolution of Markets
Chapter Ten The Invisible Hand
Bibliography
Index