Conspiracy Theories and Other Dangerous Ideas Hardcover
Author: Visit Amazon's Cass R. Sunstein Page - ISBN: 1476726620 - Language: English - Format: PDF, EPUB
DESCRIPTION
From Booklist
Legal scholar Sunstein has assembled “the most controversial” of his academic articles. And the key word here is academic. These aren’t pieces written for general audiences; each of them was written for a specific readership (an essay about cost-benefit analysis was originally published in The Behavioral Foundations of Public Policy), and it’s doubtful many readers who pick up this book will be among the target audience for all of its 11 essays. Maybe treat the book like a buffet: pick the items that appeal to you. Here, for example, is a very interesting article about conspiracy theories, in which the author examines not just the truth or falsehood of such theories but also their purpose within society and the standards by which we accept or reject them. Here’s an excerpt from the author’s 2004 book The Second Bill of Rights, in which Sunstein examined FDR’s 1944 State of the Union speech. Here’s “Marriage,” a look at the meaning of the “right to marry” and its logical extensions (does a constitutional right to marry necessarily include same-sex marriage?). By no means an easy-breezy collection, the book absolutely requires us to pay close attention to what the author is saying and to be prepared to engage in some pretty serious intellectual debate. If that’s your cup of tea, then drink up. --David Pitt
Review
“Glenn Beck has described Cass Sunstein as ‘the most dangerous man in America,’ but the 11 essays collected in ‘Conspiracy Theories and Other Dangerous Ideas’ actually reveal him to be a pretty reasonable guy. He is often provocative but never extreme, and the foaming at the mouth he induces says more about our polarized politics than it does about his ideas…Sunstein is an advocate for what works and a skeptic of grand ideologies that sound good on paper but then wreak havoc in the real world…Throughout the 11 essays in this book, Sunstein is a clear-eyed guide through some of the thornier issues of our day.” (Boston Globe)
“Sunstein seemingly never runs out of ideas….He is a careful thinker and a clear writer.” (Kirkus)
"Sunstein will infuriate partisans on both sides with his even-handedness and his simultaneous embrace of active government and criticism of its excesses. The result is a stimulating exposition of the virtues—and dynamism—of moderation." (Publishers Marketplace)
“A book written to make you think, not tell you what to think…. Neither the devil of Glenn Beck's nightmares nor the revolutionary of radical left, [Sunstein] uses his studies to navigate the chaos of public policy in the modern age." (Seattlepi.com)
“Sunstein has done more than any other scholar to bring cognitive insights to bear on basic questions of law and public policy, and for that he deserves our thanks…He is careful, deliberative, and painstaking.” (The Atlantic)
“Sunstein seemingly never runs out of ideas….He is a careful thinker and a clear writer.” (Kirkus)
"Sunstein will infuriate partisans on both sides with his even-handedness and his simultaneous embrace of active government and criticism of its excesses. The result is a stimulating exposition of the virtues—and dynamism—of moderation." (Publishers Marketplace)
“A book written to make you think, not tell you what to think…. Neither the devil of Glenn Beck's nightmares nor the revolutionary of radical left, [Sunstein] uses his studies to navigate the chaos of public policy in the modern age." (Seattlepi.com)
“Sunstein has done more than any other scholar to bring cognitive insights to bear on basic questions of law and public policy, and for that he deserves our thanks…He is careful, deliberative, and painstaking.” (The Atlantic)
See all Editorial Reviews
DETAILS
- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (March 18, 2014)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1476726620
- ISBN-13: 978-1476726625
- Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
- Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
REVIEWS
I'm going to repost an anonymous comment I saw recently on one of Sunstein's opinion pieces in Bloomberg News' Newsday:
"Here's a conspiracy theory for you: The brief bio of Sunstein that Newsday provides fails to mention, quite revealingly, is that Cass Sunstein served in the Obama administration as Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. He was hired a year after he and a co-author wrote this in a Harvard scholarly paper (aptly titled 'conspiracy theories'):
"We can readily imagine a series of possible responses [to inconvenient conspiracy theories]
(1) Government might ban conspiracy theorizing.
(2) Government might impose some kind of tax, financial or otherwise, on those who disseminate such theories.
(3) Government might itself engage in counterspeech, marshaling arguments to discredit conspiracy theories.
(4) Government might formally hire credible private parties to engage in counterspeech.
(5) Government might engage in informal communication with such parties, encouraging them to help."
I thought it was an excellent summary of Mr. Sunstein -- you read that proposed treatment of those who dare to be concerned about drinking flouride in their water everyday, or who dare to wonder if their cell phones might ultimately contribute to brain cancer, and you suddenly understand a great deal about Cass Sunstein with only a very brief investment of time.
PREVIEW
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