Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, by Dan Ariely: Traditional economics may posit that rationality governs human behavior, and that a person presented with correct information can choose what is best for himself, based on logic. However, in real life, our behavior often doesn’t match this, argues behavioral economist Dan Ariely, who sets out to demonstrate how so often it is irrationality that serves as the constant in how humans function. Many of our core decisions are shaped by impulses that are quite the opposite of what we believe them to be, including how we choose what we buy, how much we are willing to pay for something, whether we make decisions based primarily on logic or emotion, and why we procrastinate. "My goal, by the end of this book, is to help you fundamentally rethink what makes you and the people around you tick…Once you see how systematic certain mistakes are — how we repeat them again and again — I think you will begin to learn how to avoid some of them." writes Ariely. The book is psychology meets economics, a must-read for students, professionals, and the intellectually curious among us.