Decisions about Decisions
Practical Reason in Ordinary Life
£28.94
Shipping and delivery
Standard delivery 3-5 days after dispatch
USA: $3.99 USD
United Kingdom: £2.99 GBP
Australia: $4.99 AUD
Germany: Free
- More efficient and effective choices in daily life.
- Recognize and challenge their biases, resulting in more balanced and informed decision-making.
- Alleviate the stress associated with routine choices, freeing up mental energy for more important matters.
- Make more informed decisions while managing potential emotional impacts.
'For over three decades, Cass Sunstein has thought deeply and creatively about decisions, large and small, personal and professional, public and private. From environmental protection to free speech, from cognitive burdens to nudges. Join him here on an adventurous voyage exploring how we decide about our decisions - not only their outcomes, but also the emotional impact our decisions have on us decision-makers.'
— Eldar Shafir, Princeton University
Cass R. Sunstein’s “Decisions about Decisions: Practical Reason in Ordinary Life” is a comprehensive guide to understanding and improving decision-making processes in everyday situations. This insightful book examines the complexities of choice and offers practical strategies for making better decisions.
In “Decisions about Decisions,” Sunstein explores:
• Second-order decisions: A strategic approach to simplify routine choices and reduce decision fatigue
• The art of opting: Breaking down major decisions into smaller, manageable choices
• Information seeking and avoidance: Evaluating the impact of knowledge on decision-making
• Belief updating: Understanding how we process new information and challenging our biases
• Algorithms in decision-making: Balancing algorithmic precision with human judgment
The book provides readers with tools to navigate the overwhelming array of choices they face daily. Sunstein introduces concepts like high-low, low-low, and low-high strategies to tailor decision-making approaches based on the nature of the choices at hand.
Year Published
Publisher
Pages
Weight
Language
ISBN 10
ISBN 13
The book: "Decisions about Decisions" Is perfect for:
• Professionals seeking to improve their decision-making skills
• Students of psychology, economics, and behavioural sciences
• Anyone interested in understanding the cognitive processes behind choices
• Individuals looking to make more informed and confident decisions in their daily lives
Meet the author
Author biography
Cass R. Sunstein is a renowned legal scholar and author. He currently serves as the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School. He is widely recognized for his work in constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and behavioural economics. Sunstein’s expertise has earned him numerous accolades, including the Holberg Prize in 2018, often described as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for law and the humanities.
From 2009 to 2012, Sunstein was the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs under President Obama. His influence extends beyond academia; he has advised various international organizations, including the United Nations, the European Commission, and the World Bank.
Sunstein is a prolific author, having written hundreds of articles and dozens of books. His works include the New York Times bestsellers “The World According to Star Wars” and “Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness” (co-authored with Richard H. Thaler). His research focuses on various aspects of public policy, including risk regulation, behavioural economics, and freedom of speech.
Beyond his professional achievements, Sunstein’s early life shaped his intellectual journey. Born in Waban, Massachusetts, he briefly explored Ayn Rand’s works as a teenager before developing a more critical perspective. Sunstein resides in Massachusetts, where he continues to contribute to legal scholarship and public discourse.
Book testimonials
‘How should we choose when our values might change as a result of our choice? Or when we have limited time to assess the options? How should we decide what we want to learn and what we ought to believe? In Decisions about Decisions, Sunstein presents a rich and diverse set of reflections on these and other questions about how we do, and should, decide how to make the choices that fill our lives. The prose is clear and engaging; the essays packed with illuminating and accessible examples; the thought deeply informed throughout by Sunstein’s broad knowledge of behavioural economics, public policy, legal theory, and philosophy.’
— Richard Pettigrew, University of Bristol
‘Sunstein is a brilliant and wide ranging thinker whose work in decision theory has been extraordinarily influential. Decisions about Decisions is a deeply insightful – and deeply fun – tour de force of decision-making large and small, a must read for anyone interested in the practical art of how to decide.’
— L. A. Paul, Yale University
‘In Decisions about Decisions, Cass Sunstein challenges the premise, widely adopted in Economics and other disciplines, that decision making is merely a means to an end. Instead, he posits that the process of arriving at a choice is emotionally consequential. The book systematically explores implications for how we choose who we are, what we value, what we know, what we believe, and ultimately what we do. Sunstein rewards the reader with rich insights and novel perspectives on human behaviour.’
— B. Douglas Bernheim, Stanford University
