Thursday 29 July 2010

Quick plug

For The Battle for Human Nature by Barry Schwartz, one of the most interesting things I have read recently. It was written in the late-80s but it's still very relevant. Basically he argues that economics, sociobiology and behaviour theory have converged on a theory of human nature that is driven purely by self-interest. He then goes on to argue that, whilst this theory explains only part of human nature, it may lead to policies that encourage the behaviour that the theory expects to see. Will post up some chunks shortly.

3 comments:

CharlieMcMenamin said...

Don't the sociologists of finance - and, actually, also the sociologists of other things as well - call this sort of thing 'performativity'?

CharlieMcMenamin said...

Don't the sociologists of finance - and, actually, also the sociologists of other things as well - call this sort of thing 'performativity'?

Tom Powdrill said...

yep. It seems like a great idea (as in a way of thinking about the impact of theory), though I haven't thought it through properly as yet!