Salvatore Rossi: In praise of popularization

Lectio magistralis by Mr Salvatore Rossi, Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Italy and President of the Institute for the Supervision of Insurance (IVASS), at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice Department of Economics, Venice, 5 October 2018.

The views expressed in this speech are those of the speaker and not the view of the BIS.

Introduction

This lecture stems from a reflection on the way in which we − all of us − form our opinions and make decisions.

The question has many aspects, but here we will deal with one in particular: the information that we consume and the sources from which we gather it. This is a crucial aspect. Opinions and decisions are, of course, shaped by cognitive processes and inspired by religious or political persuasions, but the information that we use is their main sustenance. Combined with our pre-conceptions, they lead us to think one thing or another, and to decide accordingly.