Herbert Simon and the Sciences of the Artificial, Through the Lens of a New Paradigm

Abstract: Herbert Simon was a towering intellectual figure of the twentieth century, but his relevance to the twenty-first century is only beginning to be fully appreciated. His pioneering ideas—ranging from bounded rationality to symbol systems and organizational design—anticipated a new paradigm for understanding both natural and human systems, grounded in complex systems and evolutionary science. This article examines Simon’s legacy through the lens of this new paradigm, which emphasizes the role of variation, selection, and replication across multiple levels and domains, from genes to cultures to institutions. Particular attention is given to how Simon’s work aligns with frameworks such as Generalized Darwinism, Dual Inheritance Theory, and Multilevel Selection Theory, which are becoming central to understanding human behavior and social evolution. While Simon’s model of altruism as a product of docility and bounded rationality is critically evaluated, his broader insights into adaptive systems and the construction of symbolic environments remain foundational. By situating Simon within this growing synthesis, the article aims to clarify how his work can inform efforts to build more functional human societies—efforts that, like evolution itself, must navigate the tension between cooperation and competition at multiple levels.