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Rational Choice Theory

Rational Choice Theory is the idea that individuals make decisions by weighing the benefits and costs to maximize their personal gain. In the context of Justification Theory, it helps explain how people justify their choices based on logical reasoning. Contractarianism applies this by suggesting societal rules arise from rational agreements among individuals to benefit everyone. Deontic Logic adds a formal approach, analyzing the rules guiding decisions about what is allowed or required. Together, these concepts explore how rationality underpins ethical behavior and social agreements, highlighting the complexity of human decision-making in both personal and societal contexts.

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    Rational choice theory is a framework used to understand how individuals make decisions. It assumes that people weigh the potential benefits and costs of their choices to maximize their advantage or utility. In other words, when faced with a decision, individuals evaluate the outcomes and select the option they believe will give them the best result. This theory is commonly applied in economics, political science, and sociology to analyze behaviors in various contexts, such as voting, purchasing, or crime. While it recognizes human reasoning, it often assumes people have complete information and act logically.