RATIONAL AND OTHER CHOICES - COMMENTS ON THE RATIONAL CHOICE MODEL

In response to Abram de Swaan, some reservations about the use of the rational choice model in sociology are stated. It is argued that the m odel is either tautological (all action is interpreted as serving 'sel f-interest') or incomplete, leaving out such motives as habit, affect and conviction. The assumptions underlying the model are criticized fo r being unrealistic and misleading, since they postulate an image of ' man' as singular (without social ties) and timeless (without a relevan t past).