24: Misbehavioral Economics: Choosing irrationality

Are people being reasonable when they act irrationally? Doesn’t rationality and reasonableness mean the same thing? Charles and Igor kick of the new decade by diving into a messy mix of behavioral economics, nudges, moral philosophy and legal studies, to examine what standards guide people’s decisions. Charles asks Igor about core standards that guide people when they try to make a good decision. Igor unpacks how the standard of a rational agent evolved in the 20th century and what implications it has had for modern economics and politics. Charles wonders if there are any reasonable people left on the Clapham omnibus in London. Igor discusses his new work assessing how most people define rationality and reasonableness, showing that irrational behavior may be a consequence of focusing on reasonableness instead. Welcome to Episode 24.

Episode 24 of the On Wisdom podcast, hosted by Charles Cassidy and Igor Grossmann, titled "24: Misbehavioral Economics: Choosing irrationality" was published on January 14, 2020 and runs 39 minutes.

January 14, 2020 ·39m · On Wisdom

Summary

Are people being reasonable when they act irrationally? Doesn’t rationality and reasonableness mean the same thing? Charles and Igor kick of the new decade by diving into a messy mix of behavioral economics, nudges, moral philosophy and legal studies, to examine what standards guide people’s decisions. Charles asks Igor about core standards that guide people when they try to make a good decision. Igor unpacks how the standard of a rational agent evolved in the 20th century and what implications it has had for modern economics and politics. Charles wonders if there are any reasonable people left on the Clapham omnibus in London. Igor discusses his new work assessing how most people define rationality and reasonableness, showing that irrational behavior may be a consequence of focusing on reasonableness instead. Welcome to Episode 24.Links:Folk standards of sound judgment: Rationality Versus Reasonableness | Science AdvancesPublic Reason (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)Neoliberalism - WikipediaThe Hedgehog and the Fox | Princeton University PressNudge : Richard H. Thaler & Cass SunsteinSelf-Interest, Sacrifice, and Climate Change: (Re-)Framing the British Columbia Carbon Tax - MIT Press Scholarship

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