Its about time a sociologist wrote an amazing and accessible book for a non specialist audience. Why is the mona lisa the most famous painting in the world. Watts broader point is that common sensea seemingly useful tool for understanding the world and oneself in itis mostly an inexhaustible source of justso stories designed to confirm purpose and instill agency where both may not exist. Watts, 9781848872165, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. But if everything were obvious, authors of histories of financial folly would be rich. As sociologist and network science pioneer duncan watts explains in this provocative book, the explanations that we give for the outcomes that we observe in lifeexplanation that seem obvious once we know the.
Everything is obvious is a serious book both for the author and the reader. Duncan watts new book, everything is obvious, argues that we get the world all wrong by relying. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read everything is obvious. This skilled person is defined as a noninnovative worker with a limited knowledgebase. Why did facebook succeed when other social networking sites failed. Once you know the answer is a challenge to the notion that common sense is good sense. By understanding how and when common sense fails, we can improve our understanding of the present and better plan for the future. Read everything is obvious once you know the answer by duncan j. You can read this ebook on any device that supports drmfree epub or drmfree pdf format. Watts splits his book into two sections common sense and uncommon sense and presents his examination in 10 chapters that range from thinking about thinking to the proper study of mankind.
He taps into everything from marketing a field relying heavily on sociological concepts to artificial intelligence, methodically unpacking assumptions and revealing the hidden intricacies of what we call obvious. The fresh ideas in this book, like the invention of spectacles, help bring things into better focus. Everything is obvious is sectioned into two parts, the first, common sense, deals with the recognition that commonsense is anything but, and explores various types of errors in commonsense reasoning. Watts born 1971 is an australian researcher and a principal research scientist at yahoo. Watts fills the book with familiar anecdotes sonys failed decision to push betamax instead of matushitas vhs format and other notsofamiliar ones how the theft of the mona lisa in the early 20th century contributed to its popularity. Dalton conley, dean for the social sciences, new york university a truly important work thats bound to rattle the cages of pseudo and selfproclaimed experts in every field. Everything is obvious is available without a prescription. Everything is obvious teaches you about both those things, so i highly recommend you check it out. Everything is obvious teaches you about both those things, so i. Social trends often seem to be driven by certain influential people. Drawing on the latest scientific research and numerous examples, the book reveals that we know far less about the world than we think we do.
As sociologist and network science pioneer duncan watts explains in this provocative book, the explanations that we give for the outcomes that we observe in lifeexplanation that seem obvious once we know the answerare less useful than they seem. Everything is obvious shows you that common sense isnt as reliable as you think it is, because it often fails us in helping to make predictions, and how you can change the way you or your company make decisions with more scientific, statistically grounded methods. The big idea underpinning everything is obvious is that the massive amounts of data created by web 2. Watts fills the book with familiar anecdotes sonys failed decision to push betamax instead of matushitas vhs format and other notsofamiliar ones how the theft of the mona lisa in the. Cialis prices, free viagra pills everythingisobvious canadian. Even so, with a little suspension of disbelief, everything, everything is an engaging ride. Drawing on the latest scientific research, along with a wealth of historical and contemporary.
As sociologist and network science pioneer duncan watts explains in this provocative book, the explanations that we give for the outcomes that we observe in. Alan alda everything is obvious is indicated for managers, scholars, or anyone else tired of oversimplified, faulty explanations about how business, government, society and even sports work. There are a few other hardtobelieve scenarios in the book, and a light resolution that seems like something out of a runofthemill romantic comedy. For more than sixty years, obviousness has set the bar for patentability. For too long, the economists, psychologists, historians and evolutionary psychologists have owned the popular nonfiction category. The mona lisa is the most famous painting in the world because it has all the attributes of the mona lisa. But if everything were obvious, authors of histories of.
If you think the answers to these questions are a matter of common sense, think again. Did the surge in iraq really lead to less violence. Ranbaxy produced this effective drug and provided result oriented treatment to the millions of men all over the world. People have stopped buying gasguzzling suvs because social norms now dictate that people shouldnt buy gasguzzling suvs. We tend to think there are simple answers to lifes most complex questions. Everything, in retrospect, is obvious a wealth of common sense. It seems obvious, for example, that people respond to incentives. James crabtree, comment editor financial times every once in a while, a book comes along that forces us to reexamine what we know and how we know it. Every once in a while, a book comes along that forces us to reexamine what we know and how we know it. Why common sense is nonsense main by watts, duncan j. The writer of these histories is usually amused, wryly.
Everything is obvious stanford law school conferences. Under this standard, if a hypothetical person skilled in the art would find an invention obvious in light of existing relevant information, then the invention cannot be patented. The publisher has supplied this book in drm free form with digital watermarking. Duncan watts new book, everything is obvious, argues that we get the world all wrong by relying on common sense, but jamie holmes says hes the one. The story of a successful business man, originally published in the saturday evening post in 1916, is a classic story of a business man in the field of advertising and his journey to business success. Watts exposes the complex mechanics of judgement and proposes a radical new way of. The idea that preference is constructed is one of the essential themes of duncan watts everything is obvious. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I believe cognitive biases are one of the most important topics to learn about, and combined with taking a more scientific, yet creative approach to making decisions, its especially powerful.
But really what were saying is that the mona lisa is famous because its more like the mona lisa than anything else. How common sense fails us, explains common errors people make when making decisions especially for groups or organizations, and suggests alternative methods using research and data. Everything is obvious read online free book by duncan j. Watts is putting together ideas from several major research projects he has done over the past ten years or so, and thinking about how they affect our understanding of the social world and the decisions we make, as individuals and organizations, in this world. The book is entitled everything is obvious, with an after obvious. Everything is obvious summary duncan watts 12min blog. If you turn the book upside down you can read the asterisk. The commonsense belief that commonsense is obvious falls apart when one takes a.
Jun 25, 2012 everything is obvious is sectioned into two parts, the first, common sense, deals with the recognition that commonsense is anything but, and explores various types of errors in commonsense reasoning. Everything, in retrospect, is obvious a wealth of common. The book intrigues its readers with a simple question. Inside higher ed in this bold thesis, renowned network scientist duncan j. His second book, everything is obvious once you know the answer. Everything is obvious by duncan watts is a thorough investigation into the nature of practical judgments and the shared mechanisms which usually help us make them, i. Once you know the answer ebook written by duncan j. If this book doesnt force you to reexamine what youre doing, something is wrong with you. The second, uncommon sense, deals with attempting to make profit out of predicting mass social behavior. From one of the worlds most influential and cited sociologists, everything is obvious shatters the myth of common sense and points the way to a future where science promises to illuminate the. Under this standard, if a hypothetical person having ordinary skill in the art would find an invention obvious in light of existing relevant information, then the invention cannot be patented. By understanding how and when common sense fails, we can improve our understanding of the present and better plan for th. Scott wilson, the fringe magazine in this bold thesis, renowned network scientist duncan j.
The story of a successful business man, originally published in the saturday evening post in 1916, is a classic story of a business man in the field of. We claim to be saying that the mona lisa is the most famous painting in. For more than 60 years, obviousness has set the bar for patentability. By offering sound solutions to common sense reasoning, this book gives the reader the tools to better attempt to understand human behavior. Jun 26, 2012 everything is obvious is available without a prescription. It is a presentation of the authors significant researches into this topic. Everything is obvious a must readteach sociology source. It seemed like a twist for the sake of having one or a device to easily wrap things up.
The explanations that we give for the outcomes that we observe in lifeexplanations that seem obvious once we know the answerare less useful than they seem. Everything is obvious is engagingly written and sparkles with counterintuitive insights. Watts, a sociology professor at columbia university, references sociological puzzles. Everything is obvious duncan j watts why is the mona lisa the most famous painting in the world. From a literary standpoint, everything is obvious is a highly entertaining read. Its modesty about what can and cannot be known also compares favourably with other big idea books. Once you know the answer is an easy to understand and thorough dismantling of the myth of common sense. Everything is obvious offers insights into the failures of the most commonly used method of explaining human behavior.
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