Tyler Cowen wants to help you live a richer, more rewarding life -- and no, he's not an executive coach, televangelist or diet guru. Rather, he is the latest in a series of economists applying academic insights to everyday life. In his new book, Discover Your Inner Economist: Use Incentives to Fall in Love, Survive Your Next Meeting, and Motivate Your Dentist (Dutton Adult), Cowen, a professor of economics at George Mason University, argues that by understanding the power of incentives -- rather than just the power of money -- you can better accomplish your goals. In an interview with Knowledge@Wharton, Cowen talks about Adam Smith's inner drive, why optimistic CEOs may be a bad bet, and blogging. Cowen is trying, he says, "to make economics more human."
Knowlege@Wharton: What is an "inner economist?" Is it just another way of referring to enlightened common sense?
Cowen: The inner economist is enlightened common sense, but with an emphasis on the idea of incentives, that people respond to rewards and penalties. Using or discovering your inner economist is really about thinking more explicitly in terms of incentives.
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