Daniel Kahneman Ends Life, Nobel Laureate

Daniel Kahneman, a 90-year-old Israeli-American Nobel laureate in economics, ended his life through doctor-assisted suicide, citing his desire to avoid the "miseries and indignities" of old age, in a decision influenced by his own research on human decision-making and hedonic calculus.

Kahneman, who was in relatively good health but experiencing cognitive decline and physical issues, including kidney problems, had been working on research papers just weeks before his death. His decision was not publicly disclosed at the time, and he requested that those who received the email not discuss it for a few days. Kahneman's work in behavioral economics has had a significant impact on various fields, including economics, psychology, and policy-making.

Kahneman's friends and family say that his decision was purely personal and not intended as a public statement, and that he did not endorse assisted suicide for others. His work challenged the idea that humans are rational, instead arguing that people are inconsistent, emotional, and easily fooled. Kahneman won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

The news of Kahneman's death has been met with shock and grief from some of his friends and colleagues, who see it as consistent with his research and his desire to maintain control over his own life. His legacy as a renowned psychologist and economist will continue to be felt, and his work will remain an important contribution to our understanding of human decision-making and behavior.