Igniting fire: Kahneman as a source of creative tension in project studies

• Examines Kahneman’s influence on key debates in project studies • Analyses optimism, intuition, and nudging through scholarly disagreements • Identifies four qualities of insightful academic debates • Highlights the ethical and reflexive dimensions of project scholarship • Explore how rigorous, ethical debates drive progress in project-based research This essay explores how Kahneman contributed to debates in project studies. I revisit three debates: Flyvbjerg vs. Hirschman on (over-)optimism, Kahneman vs. Klein on the trustworthiness of intuitive expertise, and Kahneman vs. Gigerenzer on nudging vs. boosting. These discussions illuminate four attributes of insightful debates: addressing practical challenges, confronting epistemological boundaries, building on rigorous research, and owning its ethical standpoint. Ultimately, Kahneman’s legacy inspires scholars in project studies to critically engage, challenge assumptions, and embrace debates as spaces of ethical and reflexive academic practice.