David Redish, a neuroscience professor at the University of Minnesota, dives into the science behind our decision-making processes. He reveals the three systems in our brains that influence choices, explaining how our questions can shape our decisions. Redish emphasizes morality as a cooperative tool and shares practical strategies to align actions with values. He also connects addiction to decision-making, advocating for self-reflection to promote personal growth and healthier habits.
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insights INSIGHT
The One You Feed Parable
The "One You Feed" parable highlights how the kind of person you want to be influences your decisions.
Building up learning and motivations shapes in-the-moment actions, aligning them with desired behavior.
insights INSIGHT
Self-Observation and Consciousness
Observing ourselves taking actions and applying social understanding to that observation contributes to our sense of self.
Humans are uniquely social, and this social understanding shapes how we perceive our own agency and consciousness.
insights INSIGHT
Three Decision-Making Systems
Humans use three main decision-making systems: deliberative, procedural, and instinctual.
Deliberative involves imagining and evaluating future scenarios, while procedural relies on recognizing situations and responding with practiced actions.
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In 'Changing How We Choose: The New Science of Morality,' A. David Redish argues that moral codes are technologies that shape how we see each other, build our communities, and live our lives. The book integrates new insights from behavioral economics, sociology, and neuroscience to explain how different decision systems in the brain process moral dilemmas and how these systems can be influenced to change our behaviors and societies. Redish discusses how moral codes can be seen as toolkits that change our selves, our decisions, and ultimately our world, emphasizing the collective benefit when moral codes promote a society where 'we all do better when we all do better'[1][2][3].
In this episode, David Redish explains why we should be thinking about changing how we choose and explores the process of decision-making. He discusses the systems our brains use to make decisions and how these systems interact and influence our choices, from everyday decisions to complex moral dilemmas.
Key Takeaways:
The three decision-making systems in our brains and how they function
How the way we frame questions can dramatically alter our decisions
The role of morality as a tool for fostering cooperation and mutual benefit
Practical strategies for aligning our actions with our values
The complex nature of addiction and its relationship to decision-making
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The One You Feed 
