This paper provides a brief overview of findings in mathematical cognition and how a human-like AI in mathematics may look like. Then, it provides six reasons in favor of a human-like AI for mathematics: (1) human cognition, with all its limits, creates mathematics; (2) human mathematics is insightful, not merely deductive steps; (3) human cognition detects structure in the real world; (4) human cognition can tackle and detect complex problems; (5) human cognition is creative; (6) human cognition considers ethical issues. (...) The paper provides a tentative frame to the question whether human mathematical cognition is relevant for designing an artificial intelligence that works on and creates mathematics. (shrink)

This paper aims to contribute to the development of a “third-generation” rational choice theory by introducing a Multiple Player Approach for analysing collective action problems. Drawing on the foundational first and second generation works of Olson (The logic of collective action, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1965) and Ostrom (Scand Polit Stud 23(1):3–16), we introduce five player types that we believe capture essential empirical features of many real world collective action problems: Blind Riders, Tough Riders, Hard Riders, Easy Riders, and Low (...) Riders. We consider the complex interaction and dynamics that unfold among them. The main novelty of the analysis is to draw attention to the need for active societal support to effectively empower and reward hard riders for resolving collective action problems, particularly when facing external shocks such as the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit, and financial crises. (shrink)

Psychological observations are by now well integrated into economics, especially in the theory of finance, as can also be seen in the Nobel Prize awarded to Thaler. On the contrary, Simon’s attempt to reforge economic theory on the paradigm of bounded rationality failed. Starting from the birth of the neoclassical paradigm, we’ll describe the attempt to give it psychological foundations with a direct measurement of utility, then the axiomatic turn of the paradigm and its first anomalies. We’ll then sum up (...) the debate on rationality, taking place in the group of economists led by Simon, which brought to the rational expectations hypothesis. Finally, we’ll discuss the development of behavioral economics and its progressive acceptance in economic theory. This historical reconstruction allows us to understand the actual hard core of the neoclassical paradigm and the growing need of the paradigm for practical flexibility that determines how to choose arguments, methods and evidence that can be useful to its development, including psychological ones. (shrink)

In the paper, the role of a citizen, a public official, and an observer in the reproduction of bribery as a social norm are each analyzed. To make the analysis of this cellular-social form of corruption, three variables are incorporated: the agent’s perception of how widespread the corruption is, the agent’s available resources with which to act, and the role of moral values. Later, some scenarios of normalization and denormalization of corruption are explored, making different assumptions regarding the analysis and (...) assignment of agents to different roles in the interactions. What was found is that power relations among corrupt and non-corrupt agents are key for understanding the social reproduction of bribery, where inequality might facilitate the social reproduction of corruption. The role of the observer of the interaction of bribe-givers, bribe-takers, and bribe-resisting agents was also found to potentially tip the balance in the direction of normalization or denormalization of bribery. Hence, giving the observer tools to intervene in these interactions becomes essential to combat corruption. (shrink)

The study of collective intelligence has focused in the last years on crowdsourcing and artificial swarm intelligence. Currently, large online communities have demonstrated their effectiveness but even if the contributions in this domain are significant, it remains essential to question the functioning of collective intelligence in small groups, especially since the gain in popularity of brainstorming strategies, focus groups and co-working practices. In this context, we conducted a qualitative systematic review using Prospero, PRISMA protocol and bias assessment to identify the (...) factors currently recognised as impacting on the emergence of collective intelligence in small groups. These factors were then organised according to the different levels of abstraction observed in research about collective intelligence. From this work, collective intelligence appears as the crystallization of emerging properties that manifest themselves in interactions and whose possibility of existing is intrinsically linked to meta-cognition and meta-communication processes. (shrink)

Economists’ conceptions about the “nature of the economic agent” are central to understanding their economic thinking, the phenomena that deserve their attention, the way they build models and theories—as well as the scope and relevance of those theories. Moreover, according to the “psychological” traits of the agent, the subsequent economic theory can accommodate (or not) certain economic phenomena. These claims certainly apply to Brian J. Loasby’s economics. The objective of this article is to survey and analyse Loasby’s reconstruction of economics (...) based on the revision of the psychological foundations of economic agent. We show the influence that George A. Kelly, Adam Smith, Alfred Marshall, Friedrich Hayek and Herbert Simon (among others) play in his work. According to Loasby, concepts such as uncertainty, motivation, imagination, and connecting principles, are central to explaining the growth and organization of knowledge, complexity, and the evolution of economic systems. (shrink)

The main aim of this paper is to investigate the micro and macro predictors of Portuguese willingness to pay (WTP) more taxes to bolster funds channelled to the National Health Service (NHS). An online questionnaire was used to collect data from 584 Portuguese citizens. The statistical analysis was performed through the application of logistic regressions. The research shows that willingness to support increasing taxes depended on socioeconomic, behavioural, and psychological factors. The WTP more taxes to finance the NHS were associated (...) with younger ages, life satisfaction and dispositional optimism, satisfaction with the NHS performance, current perceived risk exposure, and risk orientation. Identifying and understanding the main influencing factors associated with WTP more taxes for NHS is essential to assist policy-makers in developing healthcare reforms. Decision-makers may take this opportunity to improve the NHS since those who ultimately benefit from the measures can provide an additional source of health financing. (shrink)

Weak judgmentalism of emotions posits that emotions necessarily involve judgments. However, a standard critique of weak judgmentalism is that it cannot adequately account for the rationality of recalcitrant emotions, which persist despite the agent holding beliefs that conflict with them. This leads to the seemingly counter-intuitive conclusion that recalcitrant emotions are as irrational as logical mistakes. In response to this critique, I make two arguments. First, I distinguish between low-level and high-level beliefs, and argue that having two beliefs with contrary (...) contents at different levels can be rational to some extent. Therefore, weak judgmentalism can explain why recalcitrant emotions are not as irrational as logical mistakes. Second, I argue that recalcitrant emotions involve mental conflicts, while normal emotions do not. By framing the issue in this way, weak judgmentalism can also explain why recalcitrant emotions are not as rational as normal emotions. (shrink)