Daniel Kahneman

Daniel Kahneman (1934–2024) was an Israeli-American psychologist and Nobel Prize–winning pioneer of behavioral economics. With collaborator Amos Tversky, he revolutionized our understanding of decision-making by showing that humans are not rational agents but deeply influenced by cognitive biases and emotional shortcuts.

Their research produced enduring concepts such as the heuristics and biases framework, prospect theory, and loss aversion, transforming economics, public policy, and finance. Kahneman’s work reshaped fields from medicine to marketing and inspired the creation of “nudge theory,” which applies psychology to improve real-world decisions.

Despite his monumental achievements, Kahneman was known for his modesty and relentless self-criticism. In his later years, he continued to refine his own theories and mentor new generations of scholars. Thinking, Fast and Slow remains his most influential work—an elegant synthesis of science and storytelling that forever changed how we understand the human mind.