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Nudging People Toward Better Decisions

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Review "Last Word: Nudging People Toward Better Decisions" on pages 128-129 of your textbook. Discuss the ethics of using unconscious nudges to alter people's behavior. Within your answer, consider the argument made by economists Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, who favor the use of nudges. Could nudges be avoided? Do all policies contain some unconscious nudges and incentives? Do all nudges influence people? if so, how and why?

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A detailed discussion has been presented. The case of 'Last word: Nudging people toward better decisions' has been read and analysed.

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Trying to nudge people consciously or unconsciously to improve or alter the behaviour is very unethical. We live in a democratic society and all of us have our rights to personal perspectives and choices. Everyone has a freedom of thought. Nudging a person can lead to the freedom of thought being stolen. Further, from the perspective of virtue ethics it would be an act of poor character to surreptitiously influence the behaviour of people.

In the book by Thaler and Sunstein, an excellent example explained by the authors is that of the elders being assigned to specific health programs. This is a major nudge for the ...

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