Freakonomics: a rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything

Abstract

Freakonomics is more about “entertainment ” than it is a serious attempt at popu-larization. Consequently, rather than conduct a comprehensive fact check, I use the book as a springboard for a broader inquiry into social science research and take issue with the book’s surprising premise that “Economics is a science with excellent tools for gaining answers but a serious shortage of interesting questions. ” Using examples from Freakonomics, I argue that some of the questions the book addresses are “uninteresting ” because it is impossible to even imagine what a good answer would look like. I conclude with some thoughts about the role of economic theory in generating interesting questions and/or answers.