Choice Theory: A Very Short Introduction
(Part of the Very Short Introductions (#71) Series and Oxford's Very Short Introductions series Series)
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Book Overview
We make choices all the time--about how to spend our money, about how to spend our time, about what to do with our lives. And we are also constantly judging the decisions other people make as rational or irrational. But what kind of criteria are we applying when we say that a choice is rational? What guides our own choices, especially in cases where we don't have complete information about the outcomes? What strategies should be applied in making decisions which affect a lot of people, as in the case of government policy? This book explores what it means to be rational in all these contexts. It introduces ideas from economics, philosophy, and other areas, showing how the theory applies to decisions in everyday life, and to particular situations such as gambling and the allocation of resources.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0192803034
ISBN13:9780192803030
Release Date:November 2002
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Length:144 Pages
Weight:0.20 lbs.
Dimensions:0.4" x 4.4" x 7.2"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
An introduction, but not for the real novice
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
"Short and to the point" describes the book perfectly, but what is the point? More specifically, to whom is it introducing the subject. I found the book a good description of the logic behind choice theory; on what are the numerous different bases on which we can build a "theory" of choice; and where this can lead. From the simplest ideas of choice we are led to Arrow's Impossibility Theorem and so can see that "rational" choices may not satisfy everyone in a democracy - a result that needs to be known at all levels of a polity. However it's supposed to be an introduction. If you're someone not used to using logic there are too many slippery areas where you'll get lost, even though the author tries to ground the work in reality - sometimes successfully, sometimes not. And for someone who wants to see more of the practical implications it is a pity that these are not explicated more. This book will suit some as an introduction, but not all.
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