tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post6175032068060821587..comments2024-03-28T18:32:05.933-04:00Comments on bensozia: The Most Important Unanswered Question in Social ScienceJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01037215533094998996noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-74590954115764399972017-01-17T15:20:30.487-05:002017-01-17T15:20:30.487-05:00I think one thing is abundantly clear - humans are...I think one thing is abundantly clear - humans are not naturally rational actors, and thus any model based on "rational self interest" is deeply flawed at best.G. Verlorennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-24465758118324306882017-01-16T23:05:19.523-05:002017-01-16T23:05:19.523-05:00It looks to me like you and Cowen are asking two v...It looks to me like you and Cowen are asking two very different questions. Cowen is asking the venerable question of which is right, the rational self interest model or the psychological-cultural model of human thinking and decision-making. This is, for obvious reasons of politics and policy and current public moral debate, perhaps not so much the most important, as arguably the hottest question in social science.<br /><br />The question you're asking seems to me very different, deeper, and probably harder to answer. It goes to the heart of the very project of social science, and psychology. Can any human ever in any meaningful way understand another human? And to the extent that we can't, can we say anything meaningful about society or psychology at all?<br /><br />In a way, your question undoes any answer to Cowen's. It makes me realize that, while I'm pretty sure I *prefer* the answer to Cowen's question to be a sort of moderate version of psychology and culture over rational self-interest, I can't argue that that *is* the answer--and couldn't even if I read a thousand articles and books. I'd still just know my preference. I wouldn't know the answer. Perhaps the real answer should be: can we ever *know* the answer? What would knowing, really knowing, about other humans be like?Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08993570411881726772noreply@blogger.com