Inconvenient Momentum: Let's Get Rational | Debra Sabatini Dwyer | TEDxSBUWomen

Описание: Economists look at the world around them and ask “how does that work”, and “how can we make it better?”. Our models have been applied to examining choices from the individual, family, household, organizational, and social perspectives.

Rational is the ability to make choices that are consistent with the objective driving those choices. These choices are constrained by physical resources, time, and information. Doing the best you can within those constraints is rational. Rational self interest does not mean selfish. Your objective function can include altruistic goals. Rational does not just apply to individuals but also to organizations, governments, and societies where the objective function is one that represents social welfare. Knowing rational helps you make better choices, given what you know about yourself, and predictions you can make about others if they are rational. Learning rational thinking can disproportionately help women.

Debra Sabatini Dwyer, an economist, policy analyst and teacher, has spoken on research topics related to the well-being of older workers and adolescents at risk. Her policy work assesses markets for public goods. What is common to her research, her teaching, and her way of thinking is economic thought as a philosophy. And what underlies this is rational decision-making.Dwyer is a professor of Technology and Society with interdisciplinary ties throughout Stony Brook University. She has overcome challenges associated with crossing disciplines consistent with a goal to maximize the production of knowledge for the betterment of society. This involves not only bringing together the information but also processing it into knowledge and ultimately wisdom. While she is the author of over a dozen peer-review articles as well as several book chapters, she focuses on the students as a vehicle for positive change. She is a “servant-leader” who facilitates excellence through others.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx