Breakdown of Will
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: March 19, 2001
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 270
ISBN-13: 9780521596947
Subjects: Cognition & cognitive psychology; Philosophy of mind; Self-defeating behavior; General; Psychology; Philosophy; Will; Cognitive Psychology; Free Will & Determinism; Philosophy / Logic; Philosophy-Free Will & Determinism; Psychology & Psychiatry / Cognitive Psychology; Choice (Psychology)
First sentence: There have been plenty of books and articles that describe how irrational we are - in consuming drugs and alcohol and cigarettes, in gambling, in forming destructive relationships, in failing to carry out our own plans, even in boring ourselves and procrastinating.
Description: "In this book, the researcher who originally proposed hyperbolic discounting theory presents new findings that confirm its validity and describes implications that undermine our most basic assumptions about how self-control works. Hyperbolic discounting theory has provoked much recent controversy in psychology, economics, and the philosophy of mind. It begins with an experimental finding: People devalue a given future event at different rates, depending on how far away it is. This phenomenon means that our preferences are inherently unstable and entails our present selves being pitted against what we can expect our future selves to want. Although the notion of temporary preferences upsets conventional utility theory, it offers radical solutions to problems that have defeated utility theory: Why do people knowingly participate in addictions, compulsions, and bad habits? What is the nature of will? What makes a will weak or strong? Do we in fact need a concept of will at all?" "This book integrates approaches from experimental psychology, philosophy of mind, microeconomics, and decision science. It will be of interest to philosophers concerned with the mind and action theory. By questioning some of the basic assumptions held by social scientists about rational choice, it should be a resource for professionals and students in psychology, economics, and political science."--Jacket.