Facts and the Fight for Moral High Ground
How science can get it right and still miss the point.
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‘Looking Backward’ to the Future
When American author Edward Bellamy published his utopian novel Looking Backward: 2000 – 1887 in 1888, he didn’t know that it would be one of the best-selling books of the era; that it would inspire a political groups around the world; or that some of the most prominent intellectuals of the time would count it as an influence on their thinking.
What It Takes to Make Good Decisions: Judgment, Not Calculation
The real work in deciding is not in the calculation, but all the thinking that surrounds it.
What We're Reading
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What Trump Gets Wrong About the Cultural Logic Driving Iran
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Project Syndicate -
There’s a Good Reason You Can’t Concentrate
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The New York Times -
Human Neurons on a Chip Learned to Play Doom
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Scientific American -
Acclaimed 20th Century Philosopher Jürgen Habermas Dies at 96
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NPR -
The Deep Complexity of Public Opinion About Abortion
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Good Authority
Featured
RECORDING & RESOURCES—Neuropaz 2026: Hard Truths & Paths Forward
View all the sessions from Neuropaz 2026—an online event exploring the latest work and thinking at the intersection of behavioral science and peace and conflict. Plus, access additional resources from all of our speakers.
Why Rational Choice Theory Should Not Be the Standard for Good Decisions
A half century of research on how people make decisions has shown that rational choice theory fails to describe how people do choose. Nevertheless, it has remained at the center of things, as the normative answer to questions about how people should choose.
How to Embed Equity in Your Research, Despite the Backlash
The current political moment makes equity-grounded research harder. But that’s precisely the reason we need to keep doing it.
PROGRAM—Neuropaz 2026: Hard Truths & Paths Forward
On Friday, February 6, join us for an online event exploring the latest work and thinking at the intersection of behavioral science and peace and conflict.
A Day in the Life
The theory that underpins much of decision-making science falls short as a way to think about how we actually make decisions and how decisions should be made.
Václav Havel on Overcoming Authoritarianism
When Václav Havel spoke to the citizens of Czechoslovakia as their president on New Year’s Day in 1990, it was the first time in 40 years a democratic leader delivered the annual address. Havel had the responsibility of ushering in a new year, new government, and new era for the nation.
Behavioral Scientist’s Notable Books of 2025
Our list of noteworthy behavioral science books published in 2025.
Most Read Articles of 2025
Take a moment to dive into the pieces you and your fellow readers turned to most this year.
