Money and happiness

The traditional conception of the selfish homo economicus, who only thinks about costs and benefits, is inadequate.

October 05, 2008

The traditional conception of the selfish homo economicus, who only thinks about costs and benefits, is inadequate. Economist Ernst Fehr and neuroscientist Tania Singer are convinced that humans are by nature public-spirited as well and instinctively pursue the public good. In their work in the emerging interdisciplinary research field of "neuroeconomics" at the University of Zurich, they use neuroscientific findings to inform economic theory. More specifically, they study the biological foundations of economic behavior and the interconnections between rationality and emotions.

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