Posted by
Conservative Swordfighters Club on Sunday, October 14, 2007 7:56:54 PM
Are the average voter's beliefs true? In The Myth of the Rational Voter, my forthcoming book with Princeton University Press, I review a large body of evidence and conclude that the answer is definitely no. Like moths to the flame, voters gravitate to the same mistakes. They do not cancel each other out; they compound.
rest of blog by author Bryan Caplan here
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I used to be bothered when people seemed to pat themselves on the back for having “unique” worldviews. I would think, “your beliefs do not make you special.” Admittedly, I am still a bit bothered. “The Myth of the Rational Voter” sheds a great deal of light on the subject.
rest of review by Jeff Proctor here
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The world is filled with ignorance. Most ignorance is not bad, as it merely reflects a rational response to the limits on our time and cognitive abilities. For example, most carpenters are likely ignorant of Plato’s Republic, as Plato’s views on the nature of government are not needed for cabinetmaking. Conversely, you probably do not want the average political philosopher to build your deck.
rest of review by Joshua Hall here
--Swordfish