Thomas Sowell -- Intellectual Mavrick at Work

|Peter Boettke|

WSJ columnist Jason Riley's book Mavrick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell will be published later this spring, but this past week The Free to Choose Network has released an inspiring film on Sowell narrated by Riley -- 'Common Sense in a Senseless World' and I cannot recommend it highly enough.  It also features my late great colleague Walter Williams providing some context to Sowell's greatness as a thinker and public intellectual.

 

One of my prized possessions is signed copy of Knowledge and Decisions that I got when Sowell visited GMU during my graduate student days.  One of Don Lavoie's best papers on the discovery, use and dissemination of knowledge began as a reflection of Sowell's contributions made in Knowledge and Decisions. James Buchanan told me on more than one occasion during my graduate student days (1984-1988) that he thought Knowledge and Decisions was one of the best books published in the last decade in economics, but that it was probably the one book of Sowell's that didn't sell as well as others.

We should also always remember what both F. A. Hayek and Milton Friedman had to say about the book when it was published in 1980.

"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

"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

Watching this documentary on Sowell, I am once more struck on how many fruitful research questions can be raised by pursuing the hypotheses he raises in his works.  I also respect the clarity of his voice, and the clarity of his purpose.

Watch this intellectual maverick go to work in unearthing the governing dynamics of the social world.

Comments

[Eric Lengell]

The film is fantastic. It should go a ways toward providing Thomas Sowell's ideas the appreciation they deserve.

With respect to Knowledge and Decisions, I have wondered whether it lacks recognition to some extent because it defies easy categorization (other than as an extension of Hayek's ideas on the use of knowledge). It is not usually associated with Law and Economics or Institutional Economics (or, at least, it is on their periphery). However, I believe it falls squarely in the tradition of both groups, especially the latter. It is a detailed study of how various institutions and organizations obtain and use knowledge and produce relatively better or worse decisions.

I can't wait to read the biography.

[Hugertown]

As for the therapy, I can say that now is definitely not the time to conduct group therapy, I think it is clear why. But now it is also possible to get quality text therapy. It's just that many people don't know where to find a good specialist and where not to refuse with any problems. I have already found such specialists, they are all certified and really help. Therefore, you should visit them through online counseling and they will really help, I have no doubt about it. I really hope that I can somehow help with this difficult case. They will save me from apathy and real confusion, now I am a better version of myself.