TY - JOUR AU - Wincewicz-Price, Agnieszka PY - 2019/08/30 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Does behavioural economics equip policy-makers with a complete (enough) picture of the human: the case of nudging JF - Journal of Public Governance JA - PG VL - 48 IS - 2 SE - Articles DO - 10.15678/ZP.2019.48.2.06 UR - https://publicgovernance.pl/zpub/article/view/507 SP - 58-73 AB - <p><em>Objectives:</em> The article offers a critical discussion of the policy of nudging and suggests so far unexplored evaluation criteria for behavioural policy experts and practitioners.</p><p><em>Research design</em>: A multi-disciplinary approach is taken here to fill out the thin anthropology of homo economicus – which is shown to inform the concept of nudging – with selected aspects of human agency which are commonly discussed in moral, political and economic philosophy. The aim of this paper is twofold: 1) to outline the conceptual shortcomings of the behavioural foundations of the nudge theory as it has been originally proposed by Thaler and Sunstein; 2) to suggest several non-behavioural aspects of human agency and action which extend the original concept of nudging and should be accounted for by policy-makers in their design of nudge-like behavioural interventions.</p><p><em>Findings</em>: It is claimed that mere inclusion of cognitive biases and irrationalities in the behavioural approach to policy does not sufficiently extend the artificial concept of the rational agent; in particular this narrow understanding of human failure misses important aspects of the rich concept of well-being.</p><p><em>Implications</em>: The use of nudges requires a comprehensive knowledge of the application context. In underspecified decision contexts, choice architects need to apply more care and critical reflection in order to prevent unintended or harmful consequences of nudging.</p><p><em>Contribution</em>: It is rare for pragmatically oriented public policy research to focus on the philosophical concepts that inform its theory and practice. This paper is a philosophical reflection on some key elements inherent in nudging. It helps better to understand the ambiguous design, potential and limitations of nudge policy.</p> ER -