Choose Wisely

Barry Schwartz is professor emeritus of psychology at Swarthmore College and visiting professor at Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. His books include The Paradox of Choice, Why We Work, and (as coauthor) Practical Wisdom. He lives in Oakland, CA. Richard Schuldenfrei is professor emeritus of philosophy at Swarthmore College. He lives in West Townshend, VT.

“Masterful! An utterly convincing (and beautifully crafted) argument that we need to rethink rationality. I read Choose Wisely cover to cover in two sittings, but will take two decades, maybe more, to fully appreciate it.”—Angela Duckworth, author of Grit“In Choose Wisely, Schwartz and Schuldenfrei ask a fascinatingly provocative question: Should we aspire to make life decisions in accordance with economic models of rationality? Their answer: a resounding no. Instead, they paint a much broader, more human picture of decisions well made, and lives well lived.”—David Epstein, author of Range and The Sports Gene“An insightful, provocative read on decision-making. Get ready to rethink your view of rationality, embrace radical uncertainty, and make wiser choices.”—Adam Grant, author of Think Again and host of the podcast Re:Thinking“Choose Wisely is a lucid and quietly radical book. Schwartz and Schuldenfrei dismantle the illusion that decisions can be engineered through calculation alone—and make a powerful case for the messy, moral, and meaning-laden nature of real choice.”—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive, The Power of Regret, and When“In this compelling critique of rational choice theory, Barry Schwartz and Richard Schuldenfrei trace its defects to the utilitarian theory of value on which it rests. We are not only utility maximizers, they point out; we seek virtues and meaning that cannot be reduced to quantitative metrics. This book points the way to a less formalistic social science and a less transactional way of living our lives.”—Michael J. Sandel, author of The Tyranny of Merit: Can We Find the Common Good?  “How should we make choices in the real world, particularly when outcomes are so uncertain? In this timely and wise book, Schwartz and Schuldenfrei show that using good judgment, understanding others’ intentions, and framing our alternatives to align with what we value is the road to better decisions and to a good life.”—Martin E. P. Seligman, author of Flourish and The Hope Circuit