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Rationality and Sociality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2022

Frederic Schick
Frederic Schick*
Affiliation:
Rutgers University
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Extract

What this paper has to do with the theory of rational choice is not clear. Still, I won't apologize. The ideas here grow out of a study of some applications of rationalism. It seems to me that the rationalist model neglects a great deal. This is not a criticism. Every model abstracts from nature. But the aspects of choosing what this model ignores are often those we most need to note in order to explain behavior. And we need to bring them out for other purposes too. Hence this essay toward a fuller analysis.

First about rational choice theory itself. On the rationalist theory, every person pursues his interests, and, in particular, pursues them in a certain way. He considers the consequences of his options, and chooses that option whose consequences he prefers to the consequences of each of the others.

Type
Part VII. Recent Developments in Rational Decision Theory
Information
PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association , Volume 1976 , Issue 2: Volume Two: Symposia and Invited Papers 1976 , 1976 , pp. 395 - 407
Copyright
Copyright © 1977 by the Philosophy of Science Association

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References

[1] Banfield, Edwar C. The Moral Basis of a Backward Society. Glencoe: Free Press, 1958.Google Scholar
[2] Miigram, Stanley. Obedience to Authority. New York: Harper and Row, 1974.Google Scholar
[3] Titmuss, Richar M. The Gift Relationship. New York: Pantheon, 1971.Google Scholar