Behavioural Economics & Paternalism Critique | The Swift Half Show

IEA Podcast

In this episode of The Swift Half with Snowdon, Christopher Snowdon welcomes Erik W. Matson, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, to delve into Matson's latest work "New Paternalism Meets Older Wisdom". Matson's book, a critical examination of the "new paternalism" philosophy within behavioural economics, published by the IEA, challenges the notion that nudging policies based on choice architecture truly serve individuals' best interests.

Drawing from insights of philosophers like David Hume and Adam Smith, Matson argues for respecting individual autonomy and cautions against paternalistic interventions that may undermine authentic human agency. Their conversation touches on various aspects, including time inconsistency in decision-making and the dangers of overriding diverse values based on simplistic assumptions of people's "true" desires.

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