Thomas Sowell

The most basic question is not what is best but who shall decide what is best.

The most basic question is not what is best but who shall decide what is best.

Facts do not "speak for themselves." They speak for or against competing theories. Facts divorced from theories or visions are read more

Facts do not "speak for themselves." They speak for or against competing theories. Facts divorced from theories or visions are mere isolated curiosities.

Many of the products which create a modern standard of living are only the physical incorporations of ideas- not only read more

Many of the products which create a modern standard of living are only the physical incorporations of ideas- not only the ideas of an Edison or a Ford but the ideas of innumerable anonymous people who figure out the design of supermarkets, the location of gasoline stations, and the million mundane things on which our material well-being depends. Societies which have more people carrying out physical acts and fewer people supplying ideas do not have higher standards of living. Quite the contrary.

One of the consequences of such notions as "entitlements" is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that read more

One of the consequences of such notions as "entitlements" is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes them something, apparently just for being nice enough to grace us with their presence.

If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism

If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism