It is true that I am one of the co-authors of 'Nudge,' and I am a behavioral economist, but it does not mean that everything we write about in that book is behavioral economics, nor does it mean that my co-author, the distinguished legal scholar Cass Sunstein, is a behavioral economist.

In this quote, Richard Thaler is clarifying his role as one of the co-authors of the influential book "Nudge." While Thaler is a prominent figure in the field of behavioral economics, he emphasizes that the content of the book is not solely about behavioral economics. This reflects his intent to acknowledge that the book draws from multiple disciplines and ideas, not just from one specific academic field.

Thaler also makes a key distinction about his co-author, Cass Sunstein, pointing out that while Sunstein is a distinguished legal scholar, he is not a behavioral economist. This remark underlines the interdisciplinary nature of "Nudge," which combines behavioral economics with insights from law and policy. The partnership between Thaler, a behavioral economist, and Sunstein, a legal scholar, created a unique framework for understanding how human behavior can be influenced by subtle changes in the environment, known as nudges.

The quote challenges the assumption that the ideas in "Nudge" can be solely attributed to behavioral economics, reminding readers that the book's concepts go beyond just one area of study. By including both behavioral economics and law, the book proposes practical applications that reach beyond traditional academic boundaries and into the realms of public policy and decision-making.

In essence, Thaler's quote serves to acknowledge the collaborative and multidisciplinary nature of "Nudge" while highlighting that, despite his background in behavioral economics, the book contains ideas that span across different fields, notably law and policy.