[bobdsmith]

How do economic markets have a purpose and goal? Im not expert on economics, but as far as I gather markets are the accumulation of lots of parts (people) behaving in a certain way. There is no purpose or end goal of the actual market although it might tend to head in a certain direction.

And now you mention it, this is rather like evolution. If I were to throw my hands up at the sheer complexity of the world markets I might assume there must be some higher intelligence guiding it. I'd be wrong though.

[jwalsh07]

How do economic markets have a purpose and goal?

You're kiddin' right? :-}

Just joshing.

The purpose of markets is to put a buyer together with a seller so that both profit form the experience.

[jwalsh07]

There is no purpose or end goal of the actual market although it might tend to head in a certain direction.

Exactly wrong Bob.

[P-Marlowe]

If I were to throw my hands up at the sheer complexity of the world markets I might assume there must be some higher intelligence guiding it. I'd be wrong though.

But it is an Intellligently driven process, isn't it? It is not random. It is PURPOSE DRIVEN^®.

Did the keyboard that you are typing on just appear out of thin air? Or did someone design it? Did someone manufacture it? Did someone find a buyer for it? Did someone ship it to a distribution center where it was distributed to a retail store where you found it?

I was just looking at the instant oatmeal box on my desk. It probably took the efforts of 150 people to get that oatmeal on the store shelve. It is not a random process. It is an intelligently driven process with dozens of independent intelligent decisions bringing it about.

To compare the market to evolution is to admit that "evolution" (such as it is) is an intelligently driven process. Are you willing to admit that FACT?