Intellectuals and society

398 pages

English language

Published Aug. 7, 2009 by Basic Books.

ISBN:
978-0-465-01948-9
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OCLC Number:
422757622

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(6 reviews)

Sowell unravels the world of intellectuals in order to illustrate an important social phenomenon: how the thinkers of a society mold that society, leaving an impact on people in every walk of life, even if these thinkers are basically unknown to the world at large.

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As a longtime fan of Thomas Sowell, I found Intellectuals and Society to be a major disappointment—the weakest of his many works I’ve read. Sowell sets out to explore how intellectuals often succeed professionally despite their ideas leading to failure in the real world. He also argues that intellectuals should "stay in their lane," avoiding commentary outside their areas of expertise.

Ironically, the book becomes a case study in exactly what Sowell warns against. He repeatedly strays from his own areas of expertise, blaming intellectuals for catastrophic events such as World War II, Hitler’s rise, and the outcome of the Vietnam War. These claims often lack nuance and feel overstated.

Much of the book relies on straw man arguments and becomes repetitive, recycling similar critiques without offering a compelling or balanced analysis. Rather than offering a robust critique of how intellectuals are rewarded despite being wrong, Sowell instead seems to …

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