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  • Knowledge and Decisions

  • Written by: Thomas Sowell
  • Narrated by: Robertson Dean
  • Length: 20 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (61 ratings)

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Knowledge and Decisions

Written by: Thomas Sowell
Narrated by: Robertson Dean
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Publisher's Summary

This reissue of Thomas Sowell’s classic study of decision making, which includes a preface by the author, updates his seminal work in the context of The Vision of the Anointed. Sowell, one of America’s most celebrated public intellectuals, describes in concrete detail how knowledge is shared and disseminated throughout modern society. He warns that society suffers from an ever-widening gap between firsthand knowledge and decision making—a gap that threatens not only our economic and political efficiency but our very freedom. This is because actual knowledge is being replaced by assumptions based on an abstract and elitist social vision of what ought to be.

Knowledge and Decisions, a winner of the 1980 Law and Economics Center Prize, was heralded as a landmark work and selected for this prize “because of its cogent contribution to our understanding of the differences between the market process and the process of government.” In announcing the award, the center acclaimed that the “contribution to our understanding of the process of regulation alone would make the book important, but in reemphasizing the diversity and efficiency that the market makes possible, [this] work goes deeper and becomes even more significant.”

Thomas Sowell is currently a scholar in residence at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He has been published in both academic journals and such popular media as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fortune and writes a syndicated column for newspapers across the country.

©1980 Basic Books, Inc. Preface 1996 by Thomas Sowell (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What the critics say

“This is a brilliant book. Sowell illuminates how every society operates. In the process he also shows how the performance of our own society can be improved.” (Milton Friedman)
“In a wholly original manner [Sowell] succeeds in translating abstract and theoretical argument into a highly concrete and realistic discussion of the central problems of contemporary economic policy.” (F. A. Hayek)

What listeners say about Knowledge and Decisions

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Brilliant. Required material for modern humans

Sowell helps you understand the complex society we inhabit and destroys the political rhetoric of all sides. It's difficult to understand all he discusses in the first pass, but issues become clearer with more listens. I think this is required reading for anyone who wishes to advance their knowledge of society.

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4 people found this helpful

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Both enlightening and devastating.

Immensely challenging to contemporary political, social and ideological notions. The evidence is formidable and verifiable, the arguments and explanations are thorough.

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2 people found this helpful

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One of the best

Knowledge and Decisions is one of the best books I have ever read. Reading this book, you will understand the motives and incentives of various decision makers and groups and the feedback loops (if any) they encounter from those impacted by their decisions.

Downsides: A bit academic/textbook-like at times. Narrator is best endured in short doses and when wide awake.

Upsides: Equips the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the world as it is, vis a vis the knowledge and decisions made by those of us living in the world as it is.

Overall: Strongly recommended to those looking to understand why the world is as it is, by one of America’s most grounded intellectuals, Thomas Sowell. 5/5

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Listen and understand.

Incentives drive human behaviour and therefore society. A brilliant explanation of the information that drives the world. A must listen for those interested in the truth of human nature and the way the world works.

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Thought-provoking

It is trite to say that we are living in times of polarized thinking and divisive politics. I have personally found that I tend to look for confirmatory news and commentary rather than those that challenge my current beliefs. (That said, I did try to listen to Fox News for a week, but found it was intolerable.) Thomas Sowell’s views are by no means unassailable, but are so well argued that I found myself actually changing my views on some “political” issues. I recommend listeners across the political spectrum listen to it.
One caveat: it is not a light listen. I usually listen to fiction at 2x speed and nonfiction at 1.5. I had to listen to this at regular (1x) speed and back up several times to understand the points being made.

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Awesome

adjective,

extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear.

My only criticism of this great work is that more people haven't read/heard its message.

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