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frontpagephoinix | Staff posted Aug 12, 2026 10:15 PM
Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell (eBook)
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- The influence of intellectuals is not only greater than in previous eras but also takes a very different form from that envisioned by those like Machiavelli and others who have wanted to directly influence rulers. It has not been by shaping the opinions or directing the actions of the holders of power that modern intellectuals have most influenced the course of events, but by shaping public opinion in ways that affect the actions of power holders in democratic societies, whether or not those power holders accept the general vision or the particular policies favored by intellectuals. Even government leaders with disdain or contempt for intellectuals have had to bend to the climate of opinion shaped by those intellectuals.
- Intellectuals and Society not only examines the track record of intellectuals in the things they have advocated but also analyzes the incentives and constraints under which their views and visions have emerged. One of the most surprising aspects of this study is how often intellectuals have been proved not only wrong, but grossly and disastrously wrong in their prescriptions for the ills of society -- and how little their views have changed in response to empirical evidence of the disasters entailed by those views.
Editor's Notes
Written by johnny_miller | Staff- Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.
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About the Poster
Various Digital Retailers have Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell (eBook) on sale for $1.99.
Thanks to Deal Hunter phoinix for finding this deal.
Available:
Thanks to Deal Hunter phoinix for finding this deal.
Available:
- Hachette Book Group via Amazon (Kindle eBook)
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble (NOOK eBook)
- Basic Books via Google Play Store
- Kobo
- Bookshop
- The influence of intellectuals is not only greater than in previous eras but also takes a very different form from that envisioned by those like Machiavelli and others who have wanted to directly influence rulers. It has not been by shaping the opinions or directing the actions of the holders of power that modern intellectuals have most influenced the course of events, but by shaping public opinion in ways that affect the actions of power holders in democratic societies, whether or not those power holders accept the general vision or the particular policies favored by intellectuals. Even government leaders with disdain or contempt for intellectuals have had to bend to the climate of opinion shaped by those intellectuals.
- Intellectuals and Society not only examines the track record of intellectuals in the things they have advocated but also analyzes the incentives and constraints under which their views and visions have emerged. One of the most surprising aspects of this study is how often intellectuals have been proved not only wrong, but grossly and disastrously wrong in their prescriptions for the ills of society -- and how little their views have changed in response to empirical evidence of the disasters entailed by those views.
Editor's Notes
Written by johnny_miller | Staff- Please see the original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.
- Don't have Amazon Prime? Students can get a free 6-Month Amazon Prime trial with free 2-day shipping, unlimited video streaming & more.
- If you're not a student, there's also a free 1-Month Amazon Prime trial available.
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank wysiwyg1652
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Wolfgangsicle
His extreme focus is on empirical reality, understanding the world instead of changing it.
In that sense he would never fit in today's far-left academy, where in many Himanities and Social Science departments 0% of the professors are either Republican or conservative and Woke groupthink is the rule.
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But if you think that intellectualism is a bad thing, then at least being aware of it is a good start.
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from BoastfulBelieve879
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Well, if that is what you take away, I would call that a good thing. Read EVERYTHING with a critical eye. But if you think that intellectualism is a bad thing, then at least being aware of it is a good start.
Jut to be clear, I don't agree that intellectuals are bad. What's the alternative? We go back to being dumb worshippers to whatever religion tells us is 'the truth' with made-up logic?Without intellectuals, you and I wouldn't even be chatting across the country on smartphones, we would most likely be somewhere close to being beckoned to a church or a wealthy king/baron. I am skeptical anytime someone directly or indirectly says that people who think as full time job and tell us what their analysis revealed are bad or malicious. Sure, I won't trust everything that comes out of their findings until I read their methodology evidence and counter arguments. But, taking a stand that we need to blanket mistrust them is indirectly signaling us to go back to race, religion, and other base instincts, which is not conducive if we are to survive as species or live better lives.
Open minded people are willing to TRY/CONSIDER other perspectives and pathways. They can respect without agreeing. They also understand and are able to entertain outwardly contradictory ideas because nothing is ever black and white when it comes to the social sciences. It isn't the same as being a hypocrite...where you act like one side is the best side but you only entertain the other. Literally defined as an 'actor'.
However, there is/are sides which only purport to do this, and do so in bad faith. Those are the 'show me evidence, give me quotes, links, from vetted sources, blah blah' and then DISAPPEAR when you actually respond because you showed something contrary to the three YouTube videos they watched.
That being said...watch some of sowell's videos on YouTube. Judge for YOURSELF. You can also find similar writings at your local library, or even on the internet archive.
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