num_pages: 384
description: On December 5 2004 the still-developing blogosphere took one of its biggest steps toward mainstream credibility as Nobel Prizewinning economist Gary S. Becker and renowned jurist and legal scholar Richard A. Posner announced the formation of the Becker-Posner Blog. In no time the blog had established a wide readership and reputation as a reliable source of lively thought-provoking commentary on current events its pithy and profound weekly essays highlighting the value of economic reasoning when applied to unexpected topics. Uncommon Sense gathers the most important and innovative entries from the blog arranged by topic along with updates and even reconsiderations when subsequent events have shed new light on a question. Whether its Posner making the economic case for the legalization of gay marriage Becker arguing in favor of the sale of human organs for transplant or even the pair of scholars vigorously disagreeing about the utility of collective punishment the writing is always clear the interplay energetic and the resulting discussion deeply informed and intellectually substantial. To have a single thinker of the stature of a Becker or Posner addressing questions of this nature would make for fascinating reading; to have both writing and responding to each other is an exceptionally rare treat. With Uncommon Sense they invite the adventurous reader to join them on a whirlwind intellectual journey. All they ask is that you leave your preconceptions behind.
language: English
title: Uncommon Sense: Economic Insights, from Marriage to Terrorism
publisher: University of Chicago Press