Behavioral scientist Dr. David Halpern heads up the UK government’s “Nudge Unit,” the world’s first government institution that uses behavioral economics to examine and influence human behavior, to “nudge” us into making better decisions.

Rene Descartes (1569-1650), the ‘father’ of modern philosophy, is without doubt one of the greatest thinkers in history: his genius lies at the core of our contemporary intellectual identity. Breaking with the conventions of his own time and suffering persecution by the church as a consequence, Descartes in his writings – most of which are philosophical classics – attempted to answer the central questions surrounding the self, God, free-will and knowledge, using the science of thought as oppsed to received wisdom based on the tenets of faith. The edition, the most comprehensive one-volume selection of Descartes’ works available in English, includeshis great essay, Discourse on Method.