Guide to Elster, Jon. 1990. When Rationality Fails.

In this article Elster lays out a conceptual framework to criticize rationality. His framework involves four elements: desires, evidence, beliefs and action. He gives 10 vignettes to explain what happens when one of these elements or a combination of them are amiss.

What are the two ways, according to Elster, that theories can fail?

Does Elster believe Rational Choice to be primarily a descriptive or a normative theory? Does it tell us how people DO behave or how they OUGHT TO behave?

What are the three optimizing operations involved in rational decision making?

Can desires be irrational?

Can it be rational to act purposefully on false information?

Can it happen that you are unable to compare two alternatives when you are not indifferent between them?

What is true uncertainty?

What is strategic interaction?

Elster introduces the idea of the 'weakness of the will' and 'excess of will.' What are these?

What is hyperrationality and what are the examples Elster gives?

Elster's article may add up to a powerful condemnation of rational choice theory, but in the end Elster defends the theory. What is his defense?

Elster talks about alternatives to rational choice theory. Which one do you think he is most sympathetic to?