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The Tyranny of Utility: Behavioral Social Science and the Rise of Paternalism
Gilles Saint-Paul
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Description for The Tyranny of Utility: Behavioral Social Science and the Rise of Paternalism
Hardback. Examines how developments in economics and the social sciences lead to greater government intrusion in our private lives. Exploring how behavioral economics contributes to the excessive rise of paternalistic interventions, this title presents a controversial challenge to the prevailing currents in economic and political discourse. Num Pages: 176 pages. BIC Classification: JPA; KCA; KCP; KCZ. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational; (U) Tertiary Education (US: College). Dimension: 241 x 165 x 18. Weight in Grams: 424.
The general assumption that social policy should be utilitarian--that society should be organized to yield the greatest level of welfare--leads inexorably to increased government interventions. Historically, however, the science of economics has advocated limits to these interventions for utilitarian reasons and because of the assumption that people know what is best for themselves. But more recently, behavioral economics has focused on biases and inconsistencies in individual behavior. Based on these developments, governments now prescribe the foods we eat, the apartments we rent, and the composition of our financial portfolios. The Tyranny of Utility takes on this rise of paternalism and ... Read more
The general assumption that social policy should be utilitarian--that society should be organized to yield the greatest level of welfare--leads inexorably to increased government interventions. Historically, however, the science of economics has advocated limits to these interventions for utilitarian reasons and because of the assumption that people know what is best for themselves. But more recently, behavioral economics has focused on biases and inconsistencies in individual behavior. Based on these developments, governments now prescribe the foods we eat, the apartments we rent, and the composition of our financial portfolios. The Tyranny of Utility takes on this rise of paternalism and ... Read more
Product Details
Format
Hardback
Publication date
2011
Publisher
Princeton University Press United States
Number of pages
176
Condition
New
Number of Pages
176
Place of Publication
New Jersey, United States
ISBN
9780691128177
SKU
V9780691128177
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 7 to 11 working days
Ref
99-1
About Gilles Saint-Paul
Gilles Saint-Paul is professor of economics at the Toulouse School of Economics. His books include "Innovation and Inequality" (Princeton).
Reviews for The Tyranny of Utility: Behavioral Social Science and the Rise of Paternalism
"The Tyranny of Utility is a courageous and original contribution. In particular, Saint-Paul's analysis of the consequences of post-utilitarianism on individual freedom is highly convincing."
Arnaud Vaganay, LSE's Politics and Policy blog "[T]houghtful, challenging, and intellectual honest... [T]his is a serious book and certainly not to be missed by scholars and public policy decision makers."
Choice "Saint-Paul's contribution to the current policy ... Read more
Arnaud Vaganay, LSE's Politics and Policy blog "[T]houghtful, challenging, and intellectual honest... [T]his is a serious book and certainly not to be missed by scholars and public policy decision makers."
Choice "Saint-Paul's contribution to the current policy ... Read more