The Myth of the Framework

"The Myth of the Framework" is a concept primarily associated with the Austrian economist and philosopher Friedrich Hayek. The phrase refers to the idea that societies operate within certain frameworks of rules, beliefs, and institutions but that these frameworks can sometimes become constraining or misleading. Hayek argued that the complexities of human societies cannot be fully understood or managed by rigid, predetermined frameworks or theories. In his work, Hayek emphasized the importance of spontaneous order and the adaptive nature of social systems.