This content is locked. Please login or become a member.
Research shows how wonderful religious beliefs are for morality in society, and for people’s behavioral decisions.
Question: Are faith and religion irrational?
Dan Ariely: So I think it’s a very helpful belief. So from that perspective I think it’s very useful. Thinking about dying is very unpleasant. It’s something that actually causes us not to take care of our savings and so on, so it’s very helpful. I also think that our research shows how wonderful religious beliefs are for morality in society, and for people’s decisions to behave . . . to behave well. So from many ways, I would say that religious beliefs are very helpful, are very positive, are very good ...individual and society.
Recorded on: Feb 19 2008