Derk Pereboom, Cornell University
Carolina Sartorio, University of Arizona
Maureen Sie, University of Tilburg
 
Nudges are an increasingly popular tool that policy makers and businesses are using to steer our choices and behaviour. For example, someone might be nudged by open workspaces to increase their productivity at work, and stores might nudge people toward consuming items whose high profit margin is linked to unethical production. So-called choice architects target cognitive and behavioural biases, such as status quo bias, that are difficult to control and the workings of which we are typically unaware. For this and other reasons, many have argued that nudges are problematic and shouldn’t be implemented. 

The motivation behind this workshop is to set aside the question of whether nudges are morally permissible and focus instead on the question of whether nudged agents are morally responsible for their nudged actions and their consequences. For example, if someone is nudged to do all manner of virtuous things, such as donate organs or offset carbon emissions, is she praiseworthy? If a more sinister choice architect nudges someone to do something wrong or bad, is she blameworthy? Should decisions about which student or job candidate is more deserving of a position take into account the degree to which her accomplishments are the effects of nudges? 

If you’re interested in attending, let me know! My email: p.robichaud@vu.nl