Reasons and Mental States in Decision Theory

June 9, 2016 - June 10, 2016
Department of Philosopy & CPNSS, London School of Economics

Lakatos Building, LAK.206
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom

Speakers:

Arif Ahmed
Cambridge University
Anna Alexandrova
Cambridge University
Richard Bradley
LSE
Franz Dietrich
CNRS
Natalie Gold
KCL
Anna Mahtani
LSE
London School of Economics
Michael Mandler
Royal Holloway, University of London
Magda Osman
Queen Mary University of London
Marcus Pivato
Université de Cergy-Pontoise
Itai Sher
UC San Diego

Organisers:

Christian List
London School of Economics

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Reasons and Mental States in Decision Theory

LSE Choice Group Workshop

June 9th and 10th, 2016

London School of Economics, Lakatos Building, LAK.206

Traditionally, decision theory – especially in economics and the social sciences – has been behaviouristic. Decision theorists have tended to avoid references to a decision-maker’s mental states and to interpret preferences and beliefs merely as formal constructs representing the decision-maker’s observable behaviour. In recent years, however, there has been a psychological turn in decision theory. Many studies – going back to the pioneering works of Herbert Simon, Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky, and others – have shown that, as a positive theory, traditional decision theory does not adequately explain human choice behaviour. This observation, in turn, has motivated a quest for more psychologically informed models of decision-making. Furthermore, the observation that real choice behaviour is more complicated than suggested by classical decision theory raises the question of what the right normative theory of decision-making is. The aim of this workshop is to explore whether, and how, we can make progress in decision theory by modelling a decision-maker’s reasons and/or mental states. The workshop theme will be broadly construed, and the workshop topics will include both positive and normative aspects of decision-making.


Preliminary programme

Thursday, 9th June 2016

14:15 – 15:15 “Welcome and Introduction to the Topic”, Christian List (LSE)

15:30 – 16:30 “Arguments for probabilism”, Anna Mahtani (LSE)

16:45 – 17:45 “Is well-being measurable after all?”, Anna Alexandrova (University of Cambridge)

18:00 – 19:00 “Don't look before you leap”, Arif Ahmed (University of Cambridge)

Friday, 10th June 2016

9:30 – 10:30 TBA, Natalie Gold (King’s College, London)

10:45 – 11:45 “Categorical decision theory”, Marcus Pivato (Université de Cergy-Pontoise)

12:00 – 13:00 “Coarse, efficient decision-making”, Michael Mandler (Royal Holloway, University of London)

14:15 – 15:15 “Psychology of decision-making: Neither harm nor good?”, Magda Osman (Queen Mary, University of London)

15:30 – 16:30 “Reason-based choice”, Franz Dietrich (CNRS / Paris School of Economics)

16:45 – 17:45 “Independent reasons”, Itai Sher (University of California, San Diego)

18:00 – 19:00 “Risk as reason”, Richard Bradley (LSE)

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