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Why Exactly Is Commitment Important For Rationality?

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  • SEN, AMARTYA

Abstract

Gary Becker and others have done important work to broaden the content of self interest, but have not departed from seeing rationality in terms of the exclusive pursuit of self-interest. One reason why committed behavior is important is that a person can have good reason to pursue objectives other than self interest maximization (no matter how broadly it is construed). Indeed, one can also follow rules of behavior that go beyond the pursuit of one's own goals, even if the goals include non-self-interested concerns. By living in a society, one develops possible reasons for considering other people's goals as well, which takes one beyond an exclusive concentration on one's own goals, not to mention the single-minded pursuit of one's own self interest. The recognition of other people's goals may be a part of rational thought. If rational behavior may depart from the relentless pursuit of one's own goals, commitment has to be important in a theory of rationality. Furthermore, seeing the role of commitment in human behavior can have explanatory importance in allowing us to understand behavior patterns that are hard to fit into the narrow format of contemporary rational choice theory. Commitment is, thus, important both for practical reason and for causal explanation.

Suggested Citation

  • Sen, Amartya, 2005. "Why Exactly Is Commitment Important For Rationality?," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(1), pages 5-14, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:ecnphi:v:21:y:2005:i:01:p:5-14_00
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Giovanni Razzu, 2021. "Economics and duty-motivated choices," Economics Discussion Papers em-dp2021-02, Department of Economics, University of Reading.
    2. Diana Dmitrievna Burkaltseva & Oleg Valerievich Boychenko & Olga Sergeevna Sivash & Nicholas Maksimovich Mazur & Snezhana Anatolyevna Zotova & Aleksey Valeryevich Novikov, 2017. "The Construction of the Digital Organizational, Social and Economic Production Mechanism in the Agro-industry," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4B), pages 350-365.
    3. Vitaliy Vasilievich Biryukov & Elena Vasilievna Romanenko, 2017. "Economic Behavior of Business Entities, Culture and Institutions: Specifics of their Interrelations in Conditions of Neo-Industrialization," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4A), pages 370-385.
    4. Gebhard Kirchgässner, 2013. "The Weak Rationality Principle in Economics," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 149(I), pages 1-26, March.
    5. Michel Zouboulakis, 2010. "Trustworthiness as a Moral Determinant of Economic Activity: Lessons from the Classics," Forum for Social Economics, Springer;The Association for Social Economics, vol. 39(3), pages 209-221, October.
    6. Herlinde Pauer-Studer, 2006. "Identity, commitment and morality," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 349-369.
    7. Viktor J. Vanberg, 2008. "On the Economics of Moral Preferences," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(4), pages 605-628, October.
    8. Mark Peacock, 2019. "On Amartya Sen’s concept of sympathy," The Journal of Philosophical Economics, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, The Journal of Philosophical Economics, vol. 12(2), pages 54-74, May.
    9. Richardson, Jeff & McKie, John, 2007. "Economic evaluation of services for a National Health Scheme: The case for a fairness-based framework," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 785-799, July.
    10. Richard Arena & Ludovic Ragni, 2019. "Nature humaine et choix rationnel : Pareto contre Walras ?," GREDEG Working Papers 2019-06, Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie, Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), Université Côte d'Azur, France.
    11. Viktor J. Vanberg, 2007. "Rationality, Rule-Following and Emotions: On the Economics of Moral Preferences," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2006-21, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    12. Erasmo, Valentina, 2021. "Female economists and philosophers’ role in Amartya Sen’s thought: his colleagues and his scholars," MPRA Paper 105769, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Drakopoulos, Stavros A., 2022. "The Conceptual Resilience of the Atomistic Individual in Mainstream Economic Rationality," MPRA Paper 112944, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Eliseo Luis Vilalta-Perdomo & Rebecca Herron, 2018. "Individual Actions as Community Informative Resources. A Collective Informative Systems Approach," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 31(6), pages 581-598, December.
    15. Benedetta Giovanola, 2009. "Re-Thinking the Anthropological and Ethical Foundation of Economics and Business: Human Richness and Capabilities Enhancement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(3), pages 431-444, September.

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