Audiobooks by Cass R. Sunstein

On Liberalism: In Defense of Freedom Audiobook

A much-needed defense of liberalism—what it is, why it is under threat, and why we need it more than ever—from one of our most important political thinkers today. More than at any time since World War II, liberalism is under pressure, even siege. On the right, some have given up on liberalism. They hold it responsible for the collapse of the family and traditional values, rampant criminality, disrespect for authority, and widespread immorality. On the left, some are turning their backs on liberalism. They think that it lacks the resources to handle the problems posed by entrenched inequalities, racism, sexism, corporate power, and environmental degradation. But those opposed to liberalism do not depict it accurately; they offer a caricature, and they neglect its history. In On Liberalism, former advisor to Presidents Obama and Biden and New York Times bestselling author Cass Sunstein offers a timely and clear understanding of liberalism—of its core commitments, of its breadth, of its internal debates, of its evolving character, of its promise, and why we need it more than ever. He also shows how and why liberalism has been, and should be, appealing to both left and right. The book begins with a manifesto on behalf of liberalism, and then goes on to explore the central idea of "experiments of living," to which a liberal constitutional order gives pride of place. From there, it discusses John Stuart Mill and Friedrich Hayek, defining liberal thinkers; the rule of law as liberals understand it; freedom of speech (including the place of lies and falsehoods within that freedom); free markets, economic liberty, and regulation; Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Second Bill of Rights, with its social and economic guarantees; and finally, the concept of opportunity. Never more urgently needed, On Liberalism moves the conversation well beyond the reductive and inflammatory political sound bites of our moment and advances a compelling argument on behalf of liberalism as the foundation of freedom and self-government.

Cass R. Sunstein (Author), tbd (Narrator)

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Climate Justice: What Rich Nations Owe the World—and the Future

The social cost of carbon: The most important number you've never heard of—and what it means. If you're injuring someone, you should stop—and pay for the damage you've caused. Why, this book asks, does this simple proposition, generally accepted, not apply to climate change? In Climate Justice, a bracing challenge to status-quo thinking on the ethics of climate change, renowned author and legal scholar Cass Sunstein clearly frames what's at stake and lays out the moral imperative: When it comes to climate change, everyone must be counted equally, regardless of when they live or where they live—which means that wealthy nations, which have disproportionately benefited from greenhouse gas emissions, are obliged to help future generations and people in poor nations that are particularly vulnerable. Invoking principles of corrective justice and distributive justice, Sunstein argues that rich countries should pay for the harms that they have caused and that all of us are obliged to take steps to protect future generations from serious climate-related damage. He shows how "choice engines," informed by artificial intelligence, can enable people to save money and to reduce the harms they produce. The book casts new light on the "social cost of carbon," the most important number in climate change debates—and explains how intergenerational neutrality and international neutrality can help all nations, above all the United States and China, do what must be done.

Cass R. Sunstein (Author), Byron Wagner, tbd (Narrator)

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Campus Free Speech: A Pocket Guide

Free speech is indispensable on college campuses: allowing varied views and frank exchanges of opinion is a core component of the educational enterprise. But free speech does not mean a free-for-all. The First Amendment prohibits 'abridging the freedom of speech,' yet laws against perjury or bribery, for example, are still constitutional. In the same way, valuing freedom of speech does not stop a university from regulating speech when doing so is necessary for its educational mission. So where is the dividing line? How can we distinguish reasonable restrictions from impermissible infringement? In this pragmatic, no-nonsense explainer, Cass Sunstein takes us through a wide range of scenarios involving students, professors, and administrators. He discusses why it's consistent with the First Amendment to punish students who shout down a speaker, but not those who chant offensive slogans; why a professor cannot be fired for writing a politically charged op-ed, yet a university might legitimately consider an applicant's political views when deciding whether to hire her. He explains why private universities are not legally bound by the First Amendment yet should, in most cases, look to follow it. And he addresses the thorny question of whether a university should officially take sides on public issues or deliberately keep the institution outside the fray.

Cass R. Sunstein (Author), Steve Menasche (Narrator)

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How to Become Famous: Lost Einsteins, Forgotten Superstars, and How the Beatles Came to Be

It's hard to imagine our world without its stars and celebrity geniuses-they become a part of our culture and history, seeming permanent and preordained. But as Cass Sunstein shows in this startling book, that is far from the case. Focusing on both famous and forgotten (or simply overlooked) artists and luminaries in music, literature, business, science, politics, and other fields, he explores why some individuals become famous and others don't and offers a new understanding of the role of greatness, luck, and contingency in the achievement of fame. First, Sunstein examines recent research-on informational cascades, power laws, network effects, and group polarization-to probe the question of how people become famous. He explores what ends up in the history books, in the great religious texts, and in the literary canon-and how that changes radically over time. He delves into the rich and entertaining stories of a diverse cast of famous characters, from John Keats, William Blake, and Jane Austen to Bob Dylan, Ayn Rand, and Stan Lee-as well as John, Paul, George, and Ringo. How to Become Famous takes you on a fun, captivating, and at times profound journey that will forever change your perspective on the latest celebrity's 'fifteen minutes,' the nature of memory, success and failure in business, and our enduring fascination with fame.

Cass R. Sunstein (Author), Tom Beyer (Narrator)

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[Spanish] - Un pequeño empujón: El impulso que necesitas para tomar mejores decisiones sobre salud,

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

Cass R. Sunstein, Richard H. Thaler (Author), Leto Dugatkin (Narrator)

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How to Interpret the Constitution

From New York Times bestselling author Cass Sunstein, a timely and powerful argument for rethinking how the U.S. Constitution is interpreted The U.S. Supreme Court has eliminated the right to abortion and is revisiting other fundamental questions today—about voting rights, affirmative action, gun laws, and much more. Once-arcane theories of constitutional interpretation are profoundly affecting the lives of all Americans. In this brief and urgent book, Harvard Law School professor Cass Sunstein provides a lively introduction to competing approaches to interpreting the Constitution—and argues that the only way to choose one is to ask whether it would change American life for the better or worse. If a method of interpretation would eliminate the right of privacy, allow racial segregation, or obliterate free speech, it would be unacceptable for that reason. But some Supreme Court justices are committed to “originalism,” arguing that the meaning of the Constitution is settled by how it was publicly understood when it was ratified. Originalists insist that their approach is dictated by the Constitution. That, Sunstein argues, is a big mistake. The Constitution doesn’t contain instructions for its own interpretation. Any approach to constitutional interpretation needs to be defended in terms of its broad effects—what it does to our rights and our institutions. It must respect those rights and institutions—and safeguard the conditions for democracy itself. Passionate and compelling, How to Interpret the Constitution is essential reading for anyone who is concerned about how the Supreme Court is changing the rights and lives of Americans today.

Cass R. Sunstein (Author), Graham Winton (Narrator)

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Nudge (aktualisierte Ausgabe): Wie man kluge Entscheidungen anstößt

Der Klassiker der Verhaltensökonomie vollständig aktualisiert Seit der Erstveröffentlichung von Nudge im Jahr 2008 und dem Nobelpreis für Richard Thaler 2017 ist dieses Hörbuch zu einem Klassiker geworden. Regierungen auf der ganzen Welt, Geschäftsleute, politische Entscheidungsträger, Wissenschaftler, engagierte Bürger, Verbraucher und Verhaltensökonomen haben sich davon inspirieren lassen. Dieses Hörbuch zeigt, wie wir eine durchdachte Entscheidungsarchitektur nutzen können, um bessere Entscheidungen für uns selbst, unsere Familien und unsere Gesellschaft zu treffen. Jetzt haben Richard Thaler und Cass Sunstein das Hörbuch überarbeitet und dabei ihre Erfahrungen innerhalb und außerhalb der Regierung in den letzten zwölf Jahren sowie eine Fülle neuer Forschungsergebnisse eingebracht. Diese aktualisierte Ausgabe bietet sowohl eingefleischten Fans als auch Neulingen eine Fülle neuer Einblicke in ein breites Spektrum von Themen, mit denen wir in unserem täglichen Leben konfrontiert sind: Gesundheit, persönliche Finanzen, Klimawandel und 'Sludge' (Papierkram und andere Belästigungen, die uns davon abhalten, das zu bekommen, was wir wollen) und das alles unter Einhaltung einer der Grundregeln des Anstupsens: Haben Sie Spaß!

Cass R. Sunstein, Richard H. Thaler (Author), Peter Wolter (Narrator)

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Sludge: What Stops Us from Getting Things Done and What to Do about It

How we became so burdened by red tape and unnecessary paperwork, and why we must do better. We've all had to fight our way through administrative sludge-filling out complicated online forms, mailing in paperwork, standing in line at the motor vehicle registry. This kind of red tape is a nuisance, but, as Cass Sunstein shows in Sludge, it can also also impair health, reduce growth, entrench poverty, and exacerbate inequality. Confronted by sludge, people just give up-and lose a promised outcome: a visa, a job, a permit, an educational opportunity, necessary medical help. In this lively and entertaining look at the terribleness of sludge, Sunstein explains what we can do to reduce it. Because of sludge, Sunstein, explains, too many people don't receive benefits to which they are entitled. Sludge even prevents many people from exercising their constitutional rights-when, for example, barriers to voting in an election are too high. Sunstein takes listeners on a tour of the not-so-wonderful world of sludge, describes justifications for certain kinds of sludge, and proposes 'Sludge Audits' as a way to measure the effects of sludge. On balance, Sunstein argues, sludge infringes on human dignity, making people feel that their time and even their lives don't matter. We must do better.

Cass R. Sunstein (Author), Asa Siegel (Narrator)

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Ruido: Un fallo en el juicio humano

PARA ENTENDER CÓMO PENSAMOS Y PENSAR MEJOR, HAY QUE LEER A KAHNEMAN Premio Nobel de Economía Dos médicos en la misma ciudad pueden dar diagnósticos diferentes a pacientes idénticos; dos jueces pueden dictar sentencias distintas ante delitos similares; nosotros mismos podemos decidir una cosa u otra según sea por la mañana o por la tarde, o según se acerque o no la hora de comer. Estos son ejemplos de ruido: el sesgo que conlleva variabilidad en juicios que deberían ser iguales. El ruido está presente en todas las decisiones individuales y colectivas, y produce errores en innumerables terrenos, desde la medicina hasta la economía, pasando por el derecho, la sanidad, la protección infantil y la contratación. Además, también nos importuna e influye a la hora de tomar muchas de nuestras decisiones cotidianas. Daniel Kahneman, uno de los psicólogos más importantes del mundo, junto con Cass R. Sunstein y Olivier Sibony, dos eminencias mundiales en pensamiento estratégico, nos enseñan a escuchar ese ruido, cuyo impacto tendemos a ignorar, y a reducirlo para mejorar nuestros juicios. Basado en el mismo tipo de análisis agudo e ingeniosos ejemplos que convirtió Pensar rápido, pensar despacio en un best seller internacional, Ruido ofrece una serie de remedios originales, prácticos y sencillos para pensar mejor. La crítica ha dicho: «Una investigación absolutamente brillante de un problema social inmenso que nos ha pasado desapercibido cuando ha estado siempre ante nuestros ojos.» Steven Levitt, autor de Freakonomics «Monumental y apasionante. Excepcional.» The Sunday Times «Un tour de force de sabiduría y claridad.» The New York Times «Puede que Ruido sea el libro más importante que he leído en más de una década. Una obra maestra.» Angela Duckworth, autora de Grit «Un logro magistral y un hito en el campo de la psicología.» Philip E. Tetlock, coautor de Superpronosticadores «Una exploración electrizante de la mente humana. Este libro cambiará permanentemente nuestra forma de pensar sobre la escala y el alcance de los prejuicios.» David Lammy, diputado por Tottenham «Prepárate para que algunas de las mentes más brillantes del mundo te ayuden a repensar tu forma de evaluar a las personas, tomar decisiones y resolver problemas.» Adam Grant, autor de Think Again y presentador del TED podcast WorkLife

Cass R. Sunstein, Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony (Author), Humberto Solórzano (Narrator)

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Nudge: The Final Edition: Improving Decisions About Money, Health, And The Environment

Since the original publication of Nudge more than a decade ago, the title has entered the vocabulary of businesspeople, policy makers, engaged citizens, and consumers everywhere. The book has given rise to more than 200 'nudge units' in governments around the world and countless groups of behavioral scientists in every part of the economy. It has taught us how to use thoughtful 'choice architecture'-a concept the authors invented-to help us make better decisions for ourselves, our families, and our society. Now, the authors have rewritten the book from cover to cover, making use of their experiences in and out of government over the past dozen years as well as an explosion of new research in numerous academic disciplines. To commit themselves to never undertaking this daunting task again, they are calling this the 'final edition.' It offers a wealth of new insights, for both its avowed fans and newcomers to the field, about a wide variety of issues that we face in our daily lives-COVID-19, health, personal finance, retirement savings, credit card debt, home mortgages, medical care, organ donation, climate change, and 'sludge' (paperwork and other nuisances we don't want, and that keep us from getting what we do want)-all while honoring one of the cardinal rules of nudging: make it fun!

Cass R. Sunstein, Richard H. Thaler (Author), Sean Pratt (Narrator)

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Averting Catastrophe: Decision Theory for COVID-19, Climate Change, and Potential Disasters of All K

The world is increasingly confronted with new challenges related to climate change, globalization, disease, and technology. Governments are faced with having to decide how much risk is worth taking, how much destruction and death can be tolerated, and how much money should be invested in the hopes of avoiding catastrophe. Lacking full information, should decision-makers focus on avoiding the most catastrophic outcomes? When should extreme measures be taken to prevent as much destruction as possible? Averting Catastrophe explores how governments ought to make decisions in times of imminent disaster. Cass R. Sunstein argues that using the 'maximin rule,' which calls for choosing the approach that eliminates the worst of the worst-case scenarios, may be necessary when public officials lack important information, and when the worst-case scenario is too disastrous to contemplate. He underscores this argument by emphasizing the reality of 'Knightian uncertainty,' found in circumstances in which it is not possible to assign probabilities to various outcomes. At once an approachable introduction to decision-theory and a provocative argument for how governments ought to handle risk, Averting Catastrophe offers a definitive path forward in a world rife with uncertainty.

Cass R. Sunstein (Author), David Marantz (Narrator)

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Noise

Wherever there is human judgement, there is noise. 'A monumental, gripping book ... Outstanding' Sunday Times 'A tour de force of scholarship and clear writing' New York Times 'Noise may be the most important book I've read in more than a decade. A genuinely new idea so exceedingly important you will immediately put it into practice. A masterpiece' Angela Duckworth, author of Grit 'An absolutely brilliant investigation of a massive societal problem that has been hiding in plain sight' Steven Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics From the world-leaders in strategic thinking and the multi-million copy bestselling authors of Thinking Fast and Slow and Nudge, the next big book to change the way you think. Imagine that two doctors in the same city give different diagnoses to identical patients - or that two judges in the same court give different sentences to people who have committed matching crimes. Now imagine that the same doctor and the same judge make different decisions depending on whether it is morning or afternoon, or Monday rather than Wednesday, or they haven't yet had lunch. These are examples of noise: variability in judgements that should be identical. In Noise, Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony and Cass R. Sunstein show how noise produces errors in many fields, including in medicine, law, public health, economic forecasting, forensic science, child protection, creative strategy, performance review and hiring. And although noise can be found wherever people are making judgements and decisions, individuals and organizations alike commonly ignore its impact, at great cost. Packed with new ideas, and drawing on the same kind of sharp analysis and breadth of case study that made Thinking, Fast and Slow and Nudge international bestsellers, Noise explains how and why humans are so susceptible to noise and bias in decision-making. We all make bad judgements more than we think. With a few simple remedies, this groundbreaking book explores what we can do to make better ones.

Cass R. Sunstein, Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony (Author), Todd Ross (Narrator)

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