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Knowledge and Decisions
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 20 hrs and 53 mins
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Knowledge and Decisions
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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.
Critic Reviews
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- Adam Garrick
- 08-06-2017
incredible
by examining the empirical outcomes of various policies, guidelines, practices etc without any idealogical assumptions about causations, thomas sowell presents a strong set of moral responsibilities through economic perspectives
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- Kindle Customer
- 18-08-2023
great book
amazing as always, his books are always so informative, especially with all the international examples for his findings
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- Wayne Reid
- 20-09-2016
Knowledge, Decisions and Freedom
This book gives so many insights into the functioning of societies I would have invested the time into this book for this reason alone. However, there is much more to this book. it describes in detail how freedom is eroded by those who do not understand the futility of centralising decisions with those with limited knowledge. It has given me insight into how societies slide into decay as much as Hayak's Road to Serfdom.
Sadly this book has also given me reason to believe that academia will never allow someone with Thomas Sowell's commitment to liberty to rise to prominence again.
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- A. Hartland
- 28-03-2024
So many “aha” moments where things became a lot clearer.
What an erudite thinker is Thomad Sowell. Should be compulsory reading. And always based in reality.
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- Amazon Customer
- 22-03-2021
life-changing book
this is one of my favorite books of all time. it lays the foundation for a lot of Thomas Sowell's work in my mind, because he asks the most important question: not 'what shall be done?' but 'who gets to decide?'.
it was the first book of Thomas Sowell that I read, and afterwards I have read almost every other book of his. He is an incredible mind and his contribution to our understanding of the world is vast. a true gift to humanity.
the narrator is my favorite one for Thomas Sowell's books.
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- Heath
- 10-10-2022
Proufoundly Enlightening
A deeply appetising sentiment to the propositional pillars of philosophy. Problems of Knowledge, Conduct and Governance addressed intelligently and ellegently.
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- Anonymous User
- 24-07-2023
Thought provoking concepts!
This is a well structured book unpacking some important philosophical concepts but suffered from into slightly too much detail in parts. It required a commitment to get through it but was worth it.
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- Anonymous User
- 28-07-2017
Loved it
an incredible work. demands repeat listens/reads. Robertson Dean is the perfect person to read sowell's work, couldn't imagine it being read by anybody else.
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- Anonymous User
- 17-04-2024
Another excellent work
The language is a little dense but as always the insights are keen. It was hard to believe this book was written over forty years ago. Then again, Thomas Sowell shows how the current problems with intellectuals and bureaucrats would have been familiar to Caesar
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- Anonymous User
- 05-08-2024
Written in 1980 but just as relevant today, a true masterpiece.
A dear friend suggested I dabble into Thomas Sowell writings. After careful consideration I landed on knowledge and decisions as best place to start. Absolutely thought provoking book that has given me a lot to think and talk about my own friends/family. It would be a great recommendation for business leaders as well social workers. This was my first audible audio book and it's left me wanting to listen to more from Thomas Sowell.
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