Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/seanmcarroll Blog post with audio player, show notes, and transcript: https://preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026/11/02/373-colin-camerer-on-the-neuroscience-of-economic-thinking/ Economics often starts with an assumption that people are rational maximizers of their own self-interest; but it doesn't stop there. Economists do understand that sometimes people are irrational, altruistic, or just random. So how can we understand how people actually do behave in economic circumstances? Colin Camerer is a pioneer of "neuroeconomics" -- not only understanding how people make economic choices, but relating it to processes in the brain. Listen or watch Rolex Planet Visionaries wherever you get your podcasts. #ad Get 30% off your first year of the Base44 Builder plan at https://Base44.com/mindscape. #ad For For 50% off your first year of HomeServe, go to https://homeserve.com/mindscape. #ad Look your best and support men's health at https://amazon.com/movember. #ad Colin Camerer received a Ph.D. in behavioral decision theory from the University of Chicago. He is currently the Robert Kirby Professor of Behavioral Economics, T&C Chen Center for Social and Decision Neuroscience Leadership Chair, and Director, T&C Chen Center for Social and Decision Neuroscience at Caltech. He has been awarded a MacArthur fellowship among other awards. He is the author of Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction. Mindscape Podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrxfgDEc2NxY_fRExpDXr87tzRbPCaA5x Sean Carroll channel: @seancarroll #podcast #ideas #science #philosophy #culture