Cass Sunstein, “Choosing Not to Choose: Understanding the Value of Choice” (Oxford UP, 2015)
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What is the central thesis of Cass Sunstein’s *Choosing Not to Choose*?
Welcome to the New Books and Philosophy Channel of the New Books Network. My name is Robert Talice. I'm professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University. I co host the channel with Carrie Figder. Harry is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Iowa. Today my guest is Professor Cass Sunstein. His new book is titled Choosing Not to Choose. Understanding the value of choice. It's just been published by Oxford University Press. Sunstein is the Robert Walmse University Professor at Harvard University. The political tradition of liberalism tends to associate political liberty with the individual's freedom of choice. The thought is that Individual freedom is intrinsically tied to the ability to select one's own path in life.
Without the intrusion or supervision of others. John Stuart Mill, who held a version of this view. argued that it is in choosing for ourselves that we develop not only self knowledge. But autonomy and even personality. Yet we now know that the image of the individual chooser that Mill's view seems to presuppose is not quite accurate. It's not only the case that environmental factors of various kinds exert a great but often invisible influence over our choices. We must also contend with the limits of our cognitive resources in choice making. Sometimes Having to choose. Can be a burden. A hazard. even an obstacle to liberty. In his book Choosing Not to Choose, Kassenstein examines the varied phenomena of choice making.
Bringing a range of findings from behavioral sciences, Thunstein makes the case that sometimes avoiding or delegating choice is itself an exercise of individual freedom. Choosing Not to Choose is a fascinating book. Let's turn to the interview. Hello, Cass Sunstein. Greetings, Bob. How are you doing today? I'm terrific. Thank you. Well, thank you for joining us for New Books in Philosophy.
Pleasure to be here.
And thank you, listeners, for checking out the podcast. My guest today is Cass Sunstein, and his latest latest book is titled Choosing Not to Choose Understanding the Value of Choice. Now, as I'm sure many listeners know, like so much of Cass's work This book demonstrates a really amazing command of a broad array of empirical and conceptual issues. uh and um a real amazing command of a bunch of issues that lie at the intersection of a number of different um fields of research. including philosophy, law, politics, economics, and technology. And that's just naming a few. Um Now, although the book uh Choosing Not to Choose builds on um some previous work, including um previous work in A book that Cass published a few years ago, uh co authored with Richard Thaler, called Nudge, um choosing not to choose can be read as a standalone exploration of both the phenomenon or I should say maybe the phenomena of choice.
uh and um its importance or the importance of choice. Um And there's a lot to talk about. Uh so um why don't we begin though where we usually begin? Um Cass, let's start with you. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Sure, um I'm a professor at Harvard, um principally based in law school, but I teach in lots of different parts. I was at the University of Chicago for a number of years, over twenty. Uh one of my colleagues there was a young professor named Barack Obama and he got himself elected president and Brought me into the White House. So I worked there for four years from two thousand nine to end of two thousand twelve. Uh two thousand thirteen to twenty fourteen I was involved in a review group he created to help get the surveillance security balance under better control. And uh since then I've been full time Uh at my computer and writing.
Well that's excellent. And um I should say also as I'm sure again many listeners will know you are a prolific writer. So you've been spending a lot of time at your desk writing.
Well I have a very good uh keyboard on my on my new computer, so is he
Well great. So um just picking up on that then. Um I usually like to begin these um interviews with uh you know, I'm usually interviewing uh philosophers who are working as in philosophy departments, um and so I usually like to ask them about their conception of philosophy.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the central thesis of Cass Sunstein’s *Choosing Not to Choose*?
0:08–7:15
2
How does Sunstein explain why having too many choices can be a burden?
7:15–14:35
3
What role do environmental influences and cognitive limits play in our choices?
14:35–21:34
4
How does the book connect Mill’s ideas about liberty with modern choice‑architecture?
21:34–30:04
5
What are the practical examples of default rules in everyday settings (e.g., cafeterias, health insurance, pensions)?
30:04–38:45
6
How can personalized defaults and algorithmic recommendations enhance or limit freedom?
38:45–46:18
7
What ethical concerns arise from using defaults in democratic processes like voting?
46:18–53:38
8
What future projects does Sunstein envision after *Choosing Not to Choose*?
53:38–1:00:13
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