Irrationally Rational: Ten Nobel Laureates script the story of Behavioural Economics
Author: V Raghunathan
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 318
Price: Rs 599
Until the 5th century BCE, Pythagoreans believed that numbers could exist either in fractions or as whole numbers. But then Hippassus of Metapontum is said to have discovered the square root of 2. The story goes that the gods were displeased with the discovery of irrationality in a society that took pride in its rationality. The seas devoured Hippassus after his discovery. While economists in the 20th century did not meet such tragic ends by challenging assumptions of rationality, they were still ostracised for