The critics of rational choice theory (RCT) frequently build on the contrast between so-called thick and thin applications of RCT to argue that thin RCT lacks the potential to explain the choices of real-world agents. In this paper, I draw on often-cited RCT applications in several decision sciences to demonstrate that despite this prominent critique there are at least two different senses in which thin RCT can explain real-world agents’ choices. I then defend this thesis against the most influential objections put forward by the critics of RCT. In doing so, I explicate the implications of my thesis for the ongoing philosophical debate concerning the explanatory potential of RCT and the comparative merits of widely endorsed accounts of explanation.

理性选择理论（RCT）的批评者经常建立在所谓的RCT瘦应用和瘦应用之间的对比之上，认为瘦RCT缺乏解释现实世界代理人选择的潜力。在本文中，我借鉴了几种决策科学中经常引用的RCT应用程序，以证明尽管有这种突出的批评，但薄型RCT至少可以从两种不同的意义上解释现实世界中代理商的选择。然后，我针对RCT评论家提出的最有影响力的反对意见捍卫了本论文。通过这样做，我阐述了我的论文对正在进行的有关RCT的解释潜力和广泛认可的解释的比较优点的哲学辩论的影响。