Publication of the opening lecture by Professor Jon Elster

Jon Elster

Reason and reasons

For classical moralists, reason, as opposed to passions or particular interest, is a normative idea, meant to guide us in the public arena; inculcating it is the task of the prince's tutor. For modern economists, rationality is an explanatory idea, supposed to account for action by reducing it to the agent's reasons: to his motivations and beliefs; its pursuit is the task of the prince's advisor. The empire of reason would be weak if it were not supported by rationality, but also by self-love.

Elster J., Raison et raisons, Paris, Collège de France/Fayard, coll. " Leçons inaugurales du Collège de France ",^no. 187, 2006.

ISBN : 978-2-213-63085-4
Price : 10,20 €
Publication : November 02, 2006

Born in Oslo in 1940, Jon Elster has taught philosophy, history, sociology and political science in France, Norway and the United States. His books include Leibniz et la formation de l'esprit capitaliste (1975), Le Laboureur et ses enfants (1987), Karl Marx : une interprétation analytique(1989) and Psychologie politique (1990). Since 2006, he has held the Rationalité et sciences sociales chair at the Collège de France.