New Releases by Cass R. Sunstein

Many "nudges" aim to make life simpler, safer, or easier for people to navigate, but what do members of the public really think about these policies? Drawing on surveys from numerous nations around the world, Sunstein and Reisch explore whether citizens approve of nudge policies. Their most important finding is simple and striking. In diverse countries, both democratic and nondemocratic, strong majorities approve of nudges designed to promote health, safety, and environmental protection—and their approval cuts across political divisions. In recent years, many governments have implemented behaviorally informed policies, focusing on nudges—understood as interventions that preserve freedom of choice, but that also steer people in certain directions. In some circles, nudges have become controversial, with questions raised about whether they amount to forms of manipulation. This fascinating book carefully considers these criticisms and answers important questions. What do citizens actually think about behaviorally informed policies? Do citizens have identifiable principles in mind when they approve or disapprove of the policies? Do citizens of different nations agree with each other? From the answers to these questions, the authors identify six principles of legitimacy—a "bill of rights" for nudging that build on strong public support for nudging policies around the world, while also recognizing what citizens disapprove of. Their bill of rights is designed to capture citizens’ central concerns, reflecting widespread commitments to freedom and welfare that transcend national boundaries.

The New York Times–bestselling author of Nudge explains why policies should be based on careful consideration of their costs and benefits rather than on intuition, popular opinion, interest groups, and anecdotes. Opinions on government policies vary widely. Some people feel passionately about the child obesity epidemic and support government regulation of sugary drinks. Others argue that people should be able to eat and drink whatever they like. Some people are alarmed about climate change and favor aggressive government intervention. Others don''t feel the need for any sort of climate regulation. In The Cost-Benefit Revolution, Cass Sunstein argues our major disagreements really involve facts, not values. It follows that government policy should not be based on public opinion, intuitions, or pressure from interest groups, but on numbers—meaning careful consideration of costs and benefits. Will a policy save one life, or one thousand lives? Will it impose costs on consumers, and if so, will the costs be high or negligible? Will it hurt workers and small businesses, and, if so, precisely how much? As the Obama administration''s “regulatory czar,” Sunstein knows his subject in both theory and practice. Drawing on behavioral economics and his well-known emphasis on “nudging,” he celebrates the cost-benefit revolution in policy making, tracing its defining moments in the Reagan, Clinton, and Obama administrations (and pondering its uncertain future in the Trump administration). He acknowledges that public officials often lack information about costs and benefits, and outlines state-of-the-art techniques for acquiring that information. Policies should make people''s lives better. Quantitative cost-benefit analysis, Sunstein argues, is the best available method for making this happen—even if, in the future, new measures of human well-being, also explored in this book, may be better still.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Nudge and The World According to Star Wars, a revealing account of how today''s Internet threatens democracy—and what can be done about it As the Internet grows more sophisticated, it is creating new threats to democracy. Social media companies such as Facebook can sort us ever more efficiently into groups of the like-minded, creating echo chambers that amplify our views. It''s no accident that on some occasions, people of different political views cannot even understand one another. It''s also no surprise that terrorist groups have been able to exploit social media to deadly effect. Welcome to the age of #Republic. In this revealing book, New York Times bestselling author Cass Sunstein shows how today’s Internet is driving political fragmentation, polarization, and even extremism--and what can be done about it. He proposes practical and legal changes to make the Internet friendlier to democratic deliberation, showing that #Republic need not be an ironic term. Rather, it can be a rallying cry for the kind of democracy that citizens of diverse societies need most.

. . . Or has it already? Experts in law, politics, and other fields discuss the state of American freedom—and its precarious future. With the 2016 election of Donald J. Trump, many on both the left and right feared that America’s 240-year-old grand experiment in democracy was coming to an end, and that Sinclair Lewis’ satirical novel It Can’t Happen Here, written during the dark days of the 1930s, could finally be coming true. Is the democratic freedom that the United States symbolizes really secure? Can authoritarianism happen in America? Acclaimed legal scholar, Harvard professor, and New York Times–bestselling author Cass R. Sunstein queried a number of the nation’s leading experts on the subject. In this thought-provoking collection of essays, these distinguished thinkers and theorists explore the lessons of history, how democracies crumble, how propaganda works, and the role of the media, courts, elections, and “fake news” in the modern political landscape—and what the future of the United States may hold. “What makes Trump immune is that he is not a president within the context of a healthy Republican government. He is a cult leader of a movement that has taken over a political party—and he specifically campaigned on a platform of one-man rule. This fact permeates Can It Happen Here? . . . which concludes, if you read between the lines, that ‘it’ already has.” —The New York Times Book Review “Cautionary pieces well-informed by history, legal theory, and patriotism.” —Kirkus Reviews Contributors include: Martha Minow, dean of Harvard Law School Eric Posner, law professor at the University of Chicago Law School Tyler Cowen, economics professor at George Mason University Timur Kuran, economics and political science professor at Duke University Noah Feldman, professor of law at Harvard Law School Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist and Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business Jack Goldsmith, Professor at Harvard Law School, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and co-founder of Lawfare Stephen Holmes, Professor of Law at New York University Jon Elster, Professor of the Social Sciences at Columbia University Thomas Ginsburg, Professor of International Law and Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University Duncan Watts, sociologist and principal researcher at Microsoft Research Geoffrey R. Stone, University of Chicago Law school professor and noted First Amendment scholar

In Legal Reasoning and Political Conflict, Cass R. Sunstein, one of America''s best known commentators on our legal system, offers a bold, new thesis about how the law should work in America, arguing that the courts best enable people to live together, despite their diversity, by resolving particular cases without taking sides in broader, more abstract conflicts. Professor Sunstein closely analyzes the way the law can mediate disputes in a diverse society, examining how the law works in practical terms, and showing that, to arrive at workable, practical solutions, judges must avoid broad, abstract reasoning. He states that judges purposely limit the scope of their decisions to avoid reopening large-scale controversies, calling such actions incompletely theorized agreements. In identifying them as the core feature of legal reasoning, he takes issue with advocates of comprehensive theories and systemization, from Robert Bork to Jeremy Bentham, and Ronald Dworkin. Equally important, Sunstein goes on to argue that it is the living practice of the nation''s citizens that truly makes law. Legal reasoning can seem impenetrable, mysterious, baroque. Legal Reasoning and Political Conflict helps dissolve the mystery. Whether discussing abortion, homosexuality, or free speech, the meaning of the Constitution, or the spell cast by the Warren Court, Cass Sunstein writes with grace and power, offering a striking and original vision of the role of the law in a diverse society. In his flexible, practical approach to legal reasoning, he moves the debate over fundamental values and principles out of the courts and back to its rightful place in a democratic state: to the legislatures elected by the people. In this Second Edition, the author updates the previous edition bringing the book into the current mainstream of twenty-first century legal reasoning and judicial decision-making focusing on the many relevant contemporary issues and developments that occurred since its initial 1996 publication.

El libro que inspiró a Barack Obama los fundamentos de la política al demostrar el poder de un pequeño empujón. Por el Premio Nobel de Economía 2017 Richard H. Thaler. En Un pequeño empujón, considerado ya un clásico y uno de los mejores libros sobre economía y política de las últimas décadas, Cass R. Sunstein y Richard H. Thaler, premio Nobel de Economía, observan cómo nuestras percepciones y decisiones dependen del modo en que se organizan ante nosotros las diferentes opciones. Gobiernos y empresas, pero también padres, profesores y médicos, se convierten así en una especie de «arquitectos de la elección». A través de leves impulsos, conscientes, a menudo invisibles y cuyo coste económico y político es irrisorio, las personas e instituciones públicas o privadas pueden incentivar sin mermar la libertad de elección de los ciudadanos, y obtener así grandes logros en relación con la sanidad pública, las finanzas o la lucha contra la desigualdad. Un libro esencial para quienes formulan nuestras políticas públicas, pero cuya aplicabilidad en nuestras vidas cotidianas es sorprendente y maravillosamente eficaz. Críticas: «¿Cuántas veces se encuentra uno con un libro a la vez importante y divertido, práctico y profundo? De lectura obligada para quien quiera ver mejorar el funcionamiento de nuestras mentes y nuestra sociedad». Daniel Kahneman, Premio Nobel de Economía y autor de Pensar rápido, pensar despacio «Me entusiasmaeste libro. Es uno de los pocos que han cambiado de un modo trascendente mi manera de ver el mundo». Steve Levitt, autor de Freakonomics «El libro más importante que he leído en veinte años». Barry Schwartz, The American Prospect «Fabuloso. Cambiará tu forma de pensar, no solo sobre el mundo que te rodea y algunos de sus mayores problemas, sino también sobre ti mismo». Michael Lewis, autor de La gran apuesta y Deshaciendo errores

This Palgrave Pivot offers comprehensive evidence about what people actually think of “nudge” policies designed to steer decision makers’ choices in positive directions. The data reveal that people in diverse nations generally favor nudges by strong majorities, with a preference for educative efforts – such as calorie labels - that equip individuals to make the best decisions for their own lives. On the other hand, there are significant arguments for noneducational nudges – such as automatic enrollment in savings plans - as they allow people to devote their scarce time and attention to their most pressing concerns. The decision to use either educative or noneducative nudges raises fundamental questions about human freedom in both theory and practice. Sunstein''s findings and analysis offer lessons for those involved in law and policy who are choosing which method to support as the most effective way to encourage lifestyle changes.

Star Wars é um dos maiores ícones culturais do século XX, um mito moderno, uma clássica jornada do herói com um apelo universal que conquistou gerações e ainda hoje vem colecionando fãs ao redor do mundo. Neste livro divertido, informativo e emocionante, Cass R. Sunstein explora as lições ensinadas pela série sobre infância, paternidade, rebeliões e redenção, e ainda sobre direito constitucional, economia, política e outros temas. Com riqueza de detalhes, o autor trata do sucesso inesperado e imprevisível da franquia e explora o motivo do êxito e do fracasso de outras histórias, argumentando que Star Wars fala sobre liberdade de escolha e a capacidade de fazer o que é certo mesmo quando a esperança é mínima.

In recent years, ''nudge units'' or ''behavioral insights teams'' have been created in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other nations. All over the world, public officials are using the behavioral sciences to protect the environment, promote employment and economic growth, reduce poverty, and increase national security. In this book, Cass R. Sunstein, the eminent legal scholar and best-selling co-author of Nudge (2008), breaks new ground with a deep yet highly readable investigation into the ethical issues surrounding nudges, choice architecture, and mandates, addressing such issues as welfare, autonomy, self-government, dignity, manipulation, and the constraints and responsibilities of an ethical state. Complementing the ethical discussion, The Ethics of Influence: Government in the Age of Behavioral Science contains a wealth of new data on people''s attitudes towards a broad range of nudges, choice architecture, and mandates.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER #1 Washington Post Bestseller There’s Santa Claus, Shakespeare, Mickey Mouse, the Bible, and then there’s Star Wars. Nothing quite compares to sitting down with a young child and hearing the sound of John Williams’s score as those beloved golden letters fill the screen. In this fun, erudite, and often moving book, Cass R. Sunstein explores the lessons of Star Wars as they relate to childhood, fathers, the Dark Side, rebellion, and redemption. As it turns out, Star Wars also has a lot to teach us about constitutional law, economics, and political uprisings. In rich detail, Sunstein tells the story of the films’ wildly unanticipated success and explores why some things succeed while others fail. Ultimately, Sunstein argues, Star Wars is about freedom of choice and our never-ending ability to make the right decision when the chips are down. Written with buoyant prose and considerable heart, The World According to Star Wars shines a bright new light on the most beloved story of our time.

Since America''s founding, the U.S. Supreme Court had issued a vast number of decisions on a staggeringly wide variety of subjects. And hundreds of judges have occupied the bench. Yet as Cass R. Sunstein, the eminent legal scholar and bestselling co-author of Nudge, points out, almost every one of the Justices fits into a very small number of types regardless of ideology: the hero, the soldier, the minimalist, and the mute. Heroes are willing to invoke the Constitution to invalidate state laws, federal legislation, and prior Court decisions. They loudly embrace first principles and are prone to flair, employing dramatic language to fundamentally reshape the law. Soldiers, on the other hand, are skeptical of judicial power, and typically defer to decisions made by the political branches. Minimalists favor small steps and only incremental change. They worry that bold reversals of long-established traditions may be counterproductive, producing a backlash that only leads to another reversal. Mutes would rather say nothing at all about the big constitutional issues, and instead tend to decide cases on narrow grounds or keep controversial cases out of the Court altogether by denying standing. As Sunstein shows, many of the most important constitutional debates are in fact contests between the four Personae. Whether the issue involves slavery, gender equality, same-sex marriage, executive power, surveillance, or freedom of speech, debates have turned on choices made among the four Personae--choices that derive as much from psychology as constitutional theory. Sunstein himself defends a form of minimalism, arguing that it is the best approach in a self-governing society of free people. More broadly, he casts a genuinely novel light on longstanding disputes over the proper way to interpret the constitution, demonstrating that behind virtually every decision and beneath all of the abstract theory lurk the four Personae. By emphasizing the centrality of character types, Sunstein forces us to rethink everything we know about how the Supreme Court works.

Our ability to make choices is fundamental to our sense of ourselves as human beings, and essential to the political values of freedom-protecting nations. Whom we love; where we work; how we spend our time; what we buy; such choices define us in the eyes of ourselves and others, and much blood and ink has been spilt to establish and protect our rights to make them freely. Choice can also be a burden. Our cognitive capacity to research and make the best decisions is limited, so every active choice comes at a cost. In modern life the requirement to make active choices can often be overwhelming. So, across broad areas of our lives, from health plans to energy suppliers, many of us choose not to choose. By following our default options, we save ourselves the costs of making active choices. By setting those options, governments and corporations dictate the outcomes for when we decide by default. This is among the most significant ways in which they effect social change, yet we are just beginning to understand the power and impact of default rules. Many central questions remain unanswered: When should governments set such defaults, and when should they insist on active choices? How should such defaults be made? What makes some defaults successful while others fail? Cass R. Sunstein has long been at the forefront of developing public policy and regulation to use government power to encourage people to make better decisions. In this major new book, Choosing Not to Choose, he presents his most complete argument yet for how we should understand the value of choice, and when and how we should enable people to choose not to choose. The onset of big data gives corporations and governments the power to make ever more sophisticated decisions on our behalf, defaulting us to buy the goods we predictably want, or vote for the parties and policies we predictably support. As consumers we are starting to embrace the benefits this can bring. But should we? What will be the long-term effects of limiting our active choices on our agency? And can such personalized defaults be imported from the marketplace to politics and the law? Confronting the challenging future of data-driven decision-making, Sunstein presents a manifesto for how personalized defaults should be used to enhance, rather than restrict, our freedom and well-being.

Lo Stato ha diritto, e se sì in quale misura, a intervenire su questioni che riguardano la vita privata e le scelte personali dei cittadini, come l’obesità, il fumo, la guida, le cure, la sicurezza degli alimenti? Spesso infatti le scelte che facciamo ledono i nostri stessi interessi. Ecco perché Sunstein, coniugando teoria giuridica ed economia comportamentale, propone nuove argomentazioni a sostegno di un «paternalismo libertario», che riesca a proteggerci da errori molto gravi. È la ricerca di un difficile equilibrio tra uno Stato che interviene troppo e la salvaguardia della libertà di scelta dei cittadini; ma, contro la tesi di chi rifiuta per principio qualsiasi forma di paternalismo, l’autore dimostra come nella realtà esso sia inevitabile.

本书分为11章,内容包括:阴谋论,不当恐惧引发的问题和成本效益分析的适用性,幸福的法则,动物的权利,气候变化的正义与公正,性别平等与宗教自由,新型进步主义,机会主义等.

Why are group decisions so hard? Since the beginning of human history, people have made decisions in groups—first in families and villages, and now as part of companies, governments, school boards, religious organizations, or any one of countless other groups. And having more than one person to help decide is good because the group benefits from the collective knowledge of all of its members, and this results in better decisions. Right? Back to reality. We’ve all been involved in group decisions—and they’re hard. And they often turn out badly. Why? Many blame bad decisions on “groupthink” without a clear idea of what that term really means. Now, Nudge coauthor Cass Sunstein and leading decision-making scholar Reid Hastie shed light on the specifics of why and how group decisions go wrong—and offer tactics and lessons to help leaders avoid the pitfalls and reach better outcomes. In the first part of the book, they explain in clear and fascinating detail the distinct problems groups run into: They often amplify, rather than correct, individual errors in judgment They fall victim to cascade effects, as members follow what others say or do They become polarized, adopting more extreme positions than the ones they began with They emphasize what everybody knows instead of focusing on critical information that only a few people know In the second part of the book, the authors turn to straightforward methods and advice for making groups smarter. These approaches include silencing the leader so that the views of other group members can surface, rethinking rewards and incentives to encourage people to reveal their own knowledge, thoughtfully assigning roles that are aligned with people’s unique strengths, and more. With examples from a broad range of organizations—from Google to the CIA—and written in an engaging and witty style, Wiser will not only enlighten you; it will help your team and your organization make better decisions—decisions that lead to greater success.

“Clear explanations and concrete examples of how the behavioral orientation in economics can contribute to the world of cost/benefit policy formulation.” —Choice The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is the United States’ regulatory overseer. In Valuing Life, New York Times–bestselling author and legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein draws on his firsthand experience as the Administrator of OIRA from 2009 to 2012 to argue that we can humanize regulation—and save lives in the process. As OIRA Administrator, he helped oversee regulation in a broad variety of areas, including highway safety, health care, homeland security, immigration, energy, environmental protection, and education. This background allows him to describe OIRA and how it works—and how it can work better—from an on-the-ground perspective. Using real-world examples, Sunstein makes a compelling case for improving cost-benefit analysis, a longtime cornerstone of regulatory decision-making, and for taking account of variables that are hard to quantify, such as dignity and personal privacy. He also shows how regulatory decisions about health, safety, and life itself can benefit from behavioral and psychological research, including new findings about what scares us, and what does not. By better accounting for people’s fallibility, he argues, we can create regulation that is at once more human and more likely to achieve its goals. In this highly readable synthesis of insights from law, policy, economics, and psychology, Sunstein breaks down the intricacies of the regulatory system and offers a new way of thinking about regulation that incorporates human dignity—and an insistent focus on the consequences of our choices. “What happens when the world’s leading academic expert on regulation is plunked into the real world of government? . . . Valuing Life describes both how Sunstein’s ideas about regulation influenced his tenure in government, and how his experiences in government have influenced his ideas about regulation. This immensely rewarding book . . . should be read by everyone who cares about how our government works.” —Eric A. Posner, coauthor of Radical Markets

The best-selling author of Simpler offers an argument for protecting people from their own mistakes.

Many of us are being misled. Claiming to know dark secrets about public officials, hidden causes of the current economic situation, and nefarious plans and plots, those who spread rumors know precisely what they are doing. And in the era of social media and the Internet, they know a lot about how to manipulate the mechanics of false rumors—social cascades, group polarization, and biased assimilation. They also know that the presumed correctives—publishing balanced information, issuing corrections, and trusting the marketplace of ideas—do not always work. All of us are vulnerable. In On Rumors, Cass Sunstein uses examples from the real world and from behavioral studies to explain why certain rumors spread like wildfire, what their consequences are, and what we can do to avoid being misled. In a new afterword, he revisits his arguments in light of his time working in the Obama administration.

A collection of controversial essays touches upon an array of issues, from marriage equality and conspiracy theories to animal rights.

In How to Humble a Wingnut, leading constitutional scholar, behavioral economist, and former Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Cass R. Sunstein examines the unconventional impetuses behind human decision-making. Why it is that people often choose to behave so strangely? Sunstein’s incisive commentaries point to recent empirical findings to demonstrate how and why people convince themselves they are right despite evidence to the contrary; fear dangers they are unlikely to encounter; and ignore real risks. Mining developments in recent behavioral studies for tips on everything from holiday shopping and political biases to staying healthy and clear thinking in general, Sunstein nudges his reader towards that rarest of grounds—understanding.

This is the 2013 case supplement to accompany Constitutional Law by Geoffrey R. Stone, Louis Michael Seidman, Cass R. Sunstein, Mark V. Tushnet, and Pamela S. Karlan. Summary of Contents Table of Cases Table of Authorities I. The Constitution and the Supreme Court II. Federalism at Work: Congress and the National Economy III. The Scope of Congress''s Powers: Taxing and Spending, War Powers, Individual Rights, and State Autonomy IV. The Distribution of National Powers V. Equality and the Constitution VI. Implied Fundamental Rights VII. Freedom of Expression VIII. The Constitution and Religion IX. State Action, Baselines, and the Problem of State Power

Simpler government arrived four years ago. It helped put money in your pocket. It saved hours of your time. It improved your children’s diet, lengthened your life span, and benefited businesses large and small. It did so by issuing fewer regulations, by insisting on smarter regulations, and by eliminating or improving old regulations. Cass R. Sunstein, as administrator of the most powerful White House office you’ve never heard of, oversaw it and explains how it works, why government will never be the same again (thank goodness), and what must happen in the future. Cutting-edge research in behavioral economics has influenced business and politics. Long at the forefront of that research, Sunstein, for three years President Obama’s “regulatory czar” heading the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, oversaw a far-reaching restructuring of America’s regulatory state. In this highly anticipated book, Sunstein pulls back the curtain to show what was done, why Americans are better off as a result, and what the future has in store. The evidence is all around you, and more is coming soon. Simplified mortgages and student loan applications. Scorecards for colleges and universities. Improved labeling of food and energy-efficient appliances and cars. Calories printed on chain restaurant menus. Healthier food in public schools. Backed by historic executive orders ensuring transparency and accountability, simpler government can be found in new initiatives that save money and time, improve health, and lengthen lives. Simpler: The Future of Government will transform what you think government can and should accomplish.

Comment naissent les rumeurs ? Pourquoi y croyons-nous, souvent sans nous en rendre compte ? Et quelles en sont les conséquences pour la protection de la personnalité ? Le développement de l''internet remet ces questions à l''ordre du jour. Le juriste et politologue américain Cass R Sunstein décrit et analyse dans son ouvrage Anatomie de la rumeur les mécanismes psychologiques diverses qui permettent aux rumeurs de circuler. Nous savons que les propagateurs initiaux de rumeurs n''ignorent normalement ni l''art de la manipulation, ni les faiblesses de la loi. Et pourtant, nous sommes tous susceptibles d''accepter des informations fausses et douteuses. Sunstein dévoile le rôle des convictions antécédentes, du conformisme et de l''appartenance aux groupes qui nous rendent crédules à notre insu. Souvent nuisibles, les rumeurs peuvent ruiner la réputation des personnes visées. Comment pouvons-nous nous protéger contre la calomnie et la diffamation tout en préservant la liberté de la parole ? Sunstein propose des saufgardes légales qui sont tout aussi pertinents en Europe qu''elles le sont aux Etats-Unis.

Cómo se difunden falsedades en la era de Internet, por qué nos las creemos y qué se puede hacer. ¿Por qué los seres humanos aceptan los rumores, incluso si son falsos, destructivos o estrambóticos? ¿Por qué la misma historia que viaja por Internet tiene credibilidad entre un grupo de personas, mientras que otros la consideran absurda? ¿Qué podemos hacer para protegernos de los efectos perniciosos de los rumores falsos? Los rumores son tan antiguos como la historia humana; siempre hemos vivido rodeados de ellos o incluso sufrido sus consecuencias. Del mismo modo que a través del conocimiento de otros sabemos que la tierra no es plana o que la materia se compone de átomos, los rumores se propagan entre todo tipo de personas -sensatas, razonables, de izquierdas o derechas-, y están ligados a sus deseos y temores. El derecho de los ciudadanos a decir lo que piensan constituye uno de los pilares de los sistemas democráticos en que vivimos, y sin embargo, en la era de Internet, donde uno de estos bulos puede crecer exponencialmente en tan solo unas horas, es fundamental proteger a las posibles víctimas de comportamientos maldicientes. Ayudado por ejemplos de la vida real y estudios de la conducta, Sunstein aborda la compleja tarea de analizar los mecanismos que alimentan los rumores para tratar de encontrar ese equilibrio indispensable entre la necesidad de protegernos de ellos y la salvaguarda de derechos como la libertad de prensa y opinión, y así evitar que la era de la información termine convirtiéndose en la era de la desinformación.

What happens to democracy and free speech if people use the Internet to listen and speak only to the like-minded? What is the benefit of the Internet''s unlimited choices if citizens narrowly filter the information they receive? Cass Sunstein first asked these questions in 2001''s Republic.com. Now, in Republic.com 2.0, Sunstein thoroughly rethinks the critical relationship between democracy and the Internet in a world where partisan Weblogs have emerged as a significant political force. Republic.com 2.0 highlights new research on how people are using the Internet, especially the blogosphere. Sunstein warns against "information cocoons" and "echo chambers," wherein people avoid the news and opinions that they don''t want to hear. He also demonstrates the need to regulate the innumerable choices made possible by technology. His proposed remedies and reforms emphasize what consumers and producers can do to help avoid the perils, and realize the promise, of the Internet.

Nuclear bombs in suitcases, anthrax bacilli in ventilators, tsunamis and meteors, avian flu, scorchingly hot temperatures: nightmares that were once the plot of Hollywood movies are now frighteningly real possibilities. How can we steer a path between willful inaction and reckless overreaction? Cass Sunstein explores these and other worst-case scenarios and how we might best prevent them in this vivid, illuminating, and highly original analysis. Singling out the problems of terrorism and climate change, Sunstein explores our susceptibility to two opposite and unhelpful reactions: panic and utter neglect. He shows how private individuals and public officials might best respond to low-probability risks of disaster—emphasizing the need to know what we will lose from precautions as well as from inaction. Finally, he offers an understanding of the uses and limits of cost–benefit analysis, especially when current generations are imposing risks on future generations. Throughout, Sunstein uses climate change as a defining case, because it dramatically illustrates the underlying principles. But he also discusses terrorism, depletion of the ozone layer, genetic modification of food, hurricanes, and worst-case scenarios faced in our ordinary lives. Sunstein concludes that if we can avoid the twin dangers of overreaction and apathy, we will be able to ameliorate if not avoid future catastrophes, retaining our sanity as well as scarce resources that can be devoted to more constructive ends.

The future of the U.S. Supreme Court hangs in the balance like never before. Will conservatives or liberals succeed in remaking the court in their own image? In A Constitution of Many Minds, acclaimed law scholar Cass Sunstein proposes a bold new way of interpreting the Constitution, one that respects the Constitution''s text and history but also refuses to view the document as frozen in time. Exploring hot-button issues ranging from presidential power to same-sex relations to gun rights, Sunstein shows how the meaning of the Constitution is reestablished in every generation as new social commitments and ideas compel us to reassess our fundamental beliefs. He focuses on three approaches to the Constitution--traditionalism, which grounds the document''s meaning in long-standing social practices, not necessarily in the views of the founding generation; populism, which insists that judges should respect contemporary public opinion; and cosmopolitanism, which looks at how foreign courts address constitutional questions, and which suggests that the meaning of the Constitution turns on what other nations do. Sunstein demonstrates that in all three contexts a "many minds" argument is at work--put simply, better decisions result when many points of view are considered. He makes sense of the intense debates surrounding these approaches, revealing their strengths and weaknesses, and sketches the contexts in which each provides a legitimate basis for interpreting the Constitution today. This book illuminates the underpinnings of constitutionalism itself, and shows that ours is indeed a Constitution, not of any particular generation, but of many minds.

"In Going to Extremes, renowned legal scholar and best-selling author Cass R. Sunstein offers startling insights into why and when people gravitate toward extremism."--Inside jacket.

¿Cuál es la relación entre el miedo, el peligro y la ley? Cass Sunstein aborda en esta obra el principio de precaución, cuya influencia es cada vez mayor: la idea de que las autoridades que se ocupan de las políticas de regulación deberían tomar medidas contra posibles daños, aun cuando las cadenas causales sean inciertas y no sepamos si es probable que los daños se concretarán. El autor, que se ocupó de problemas tales como el calentamiento global, el terrorismo, el DDT y la ingeniería genética, sostiene que el principio de precaución es incoherente. Los riesgos existen en todas las situaciones sociales y las medidas de precaución crean a su vez sus propios peligros. A menudo las distintas culturas se concentran en riesgos muy diferentes porque las influencias y las presiones sociales llevan a acentuar algunos miedos y a minimizar otros. En lugar de adoptar el principio de precaución, Sunstein propone tres pasos: un principio anticatástrofe limitado, diseñado para los riesgos más serios; especial atención a los costos y a los beneficios, y un enfoque denominado "paternalismo libertario", que respeta la libertad de elección y guía a los individuos a tomar decisiones que mejorarán sus vidas. Asimismo, muestra cómo las sociedades libres pueden proteger la libertad aun inmersas en el miedo al terrorismo y en un clima de gran preocupación por la seguridad nacional. Leyes de miedo es una importante declaración de uno de los teóricos políticos y del derecho más influyentes de la actualidad.