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Minds, morality, and the red hand rule: facilitating resource-rational agreement through policy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2026

Joshua P. White Open the ORCID record for Joshua P. White [Opens in a new window]  and
Rahul Bhui Open the ORCID record for Rahul Bhui [Opens in a new window]
Joshua P. White*
Affiliation:
Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 100 Main Street Cambridge, MA, USA jpwhite@mit.edu rbhui@mit.edu
Rahul Bhui
Affiliation:
Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 100 Main Street Cambridge, MA, USA jpwhite@mit.edu rbhui@mit.edu
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Levine et al. argue that morality solves the problem of finding mutual benefit in interdependent choice. We explore how legal and institutional design can reduce cognitive burdens and support agreement-finding—explicit, implicit, and simulated. From contract law to government and organizational policy, we highlight how aligning systems with resource-rational contractualist principles can support individuals in finding mutual benefit.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e158
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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