Discover how rational behavior shapes economic decisions, leading to optimal benefits and utility, with examples illustrating ...

Rationality is what keeps us sane in the messiness of life. Being able to stay rational through a difficult time, or just for as long as a simple argument, is a sort of safety vest we can wear to not ...

When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. For someone who so frequently and serenely proclaims that he’s right, Steven Pinker can get ...

These two perspectives are in disagreement about what counts as rational—and why that matters for policy. Consider a few familiar examples. Frame the same medical procedure as having a 90% survival ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American Imagine you play a game. You are given $10 ...

Steven Pinker’s new bestseller, “Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters,” is filled with riddles and quizzes and problems to ponder. Reading it, I bombed on every single one. The ...

Suppose you toss a coin and get four heads in a row – what do you think will come up on the fifth toss? Many of us have a gut feeling that a tails is due. This feeling, called the Gambler’s Fallacy, ...