Abstract

Catholic social ethics with its understanding of humanity challenges social and economic science models to uncover the underlying image of man and thus the underlying idea of ethics. It can take on a pioneering role in areas lacking such discussions so far. This is why I question the understanding of the fundamental cohesiveness of ethical and economical thinking that is challenged by behavioral economics. The article seeks to spark the discussion, outlining several essential behavioral-economic challenges in the process. The encounter with Catholic Social Doctrine identifies areas of conflict and opens a new chapter on the ethics of Behavioral Economics.