Jon Elster

Norwegian philosopher and political theorist · Norway · Academics · Born 1940 · age 86

Jon Elster is read about 89 times a day, in 24 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 8 October 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 76 days, one point a day.

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Jon Elster is a Norwegian philosopher and political theorist who holds the Robert K. Merton professorship of Social Science at Columbia University and since 2005 professor of social science at the Collège de France.

A life in dates

2016Johan Skytte Prize in Political ScienceAward2011Prices of the Norwegian Association of SociologyAward2009“The idea that reason requires an impartial treatment of individuals corresponds to well-known principles.”In their wordsReason and Rationality (2009)Read the whole statement

“In this reconstruction, the idea of reason comprises three elements: impartiality with regard to persons, temporal impartiality, and rational or well-founded beliefs.”In their wordsReason and Rationality (2009)Read the whole statement

“For action to be rational, the beliefs on which it is based must themselves be well founded. In turn, this requirement is divided into two parts.”In their wordsReason and Rationality (2009)Read the whole statement

“Biases are either “hot” (that is, produced by the agent’s motivational system) or “cold” (more similar to optical illusions).”In their wordsReason and Rationality (2009)Read the whole statement

“The premise of this statement is what one might call the principle of non-indirection.”In their wordsReason and Rationality (2009)Read the whole statement

“What, finally, are the functions of reason and rationality in human behaviors? They are the functions, respectively, of the prince’s tutor and his councilor.”In their wordsReason and Rationality (2009)Read the whole statement

2006Fridtjof Nansen Award for outstanding research, historical-philosophical classAwardMore about this2002John von Neumann AwardAward1997Jean Nicod PrizeAward1995Honorary Doctor of the University of ValenciaAward1940Born22 February 1940

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In their own words 10

Jon Elster

10 statements, newest first

The idea that reason requires an impartial treatment of individuals corresponds to well-known principles.
2009, Reason and Rationality (2009), Own words
Characterized in this way, interest properly understood is an amalgam of objective and subjective elements.
2009, Reason and Rationality (2009), Own words
In this reconstruction, the idea of reason comprises three elements: impartiality with regard to persons, temporal impartiality, and rational or well-founded beliefs.
2009, Reason and Rationality (2009), Own words