Beyond the assumption that humans are rational (with Barry Schwartz)

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Oct 22, 2025

Barry Schwartz, an emeritus psychology professor and author, discusses the limitations of rational choice theory and the complexities of decision-making. He critiques how quantification often overshadows important values that can't be easily measured, suggesting that relying on numbers can mislead us. Schwartz emphasizes the importance of framing decisions correctly and acknowledges the interplay between intuition and reflection. He also highlights how diverse perspectives can expose blind spots, ultimately advocating for a richer definition of rationality.

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INSIGHT

Spreadsheet Model Of Rationality Is Limited

Rational choice theory models decisions as quantifiable expected-utility calculations across fixed options.
Many real-life values and uncertainties resist this reduction, making the model limited.

INSIGHT

Counting Replaces Thinking

Simplifying complex decisions into quantifiable attributes substitutes counting for genuine thinking.
This quantification shifts attention toward what is measurable rather than what truly matters.

INSIGHT

Incommensurability Undermines One-Scale Choices

Not every value is comparable on a single scale; rational choice assumes commensurability.
Forcing a common scale distorts incommensurable goods and risks flattening moral distinctions.

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Read the full transcript here.

What does rationality mean when life won’t fit a spreadsheet? If models demand one common scale, what happens to values that can’t be compared? Are we optimizing choices, or narrowing them to what’s easy to count? When do toy problems stop teaching us about real ones? Can preferences be “mapped” if the act of asking reshapes them? When is precision a disguise for guesswork? What standard should judge error when the world is fuzzy by design? If we want better decisions, should we start by choosing better frames? How do fast intuitions and slow reflection share the work when stakes are high? When should we pause because the first answer felt too easy? How can diverse perspectives expose what one mind won’t see? How do we weigh the uncountable without pretending it’s all commensurate? What does a life well chosen look like beyond being error-free?

Barry Schwartz is an emeritus professor of psychology at Swarthmore College and a visiting professor at the Haas School of Business at Berkeley. He has spent fifty years thinking and writing about the interaction between economics, psychology, and morality. He has written several books that address aspects of this interaction, including The Battle for Human Nature, The Costs of Living, The Paradox of Choice, Practical Wisdom (with Kenneth Sharpe), Why We Work, and most recently, Choose Wisely (with Richard Schuldenfrei). Schwartz has spoken four times at the TED conference, and his TED talks have been viewed by more than 25 million people.

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