Truth Addict

"Disarmingly charming, succinct, and clear. Truth Addict shows readers how to be intelligent producers and consumers of data within a world in which real intelligence is more urgently needed than ever."--Kristin Luker, Elizabeth Josselyn Boalt Professor of Law (Emerita) and Professor of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley "This is a transformational book. It offers a unique and remarkably clever perspective on how to answer big social, political, and economic questions. Its insights will shape how any reader--from the uninitiated student to the seasoned researcher--views the world. Everyone should read it."--James N. Druckman, Martin Brewer Anderson Professor of Political Science, University of Rochester "The statistical investigation of causal structure is not tedious even for a moment in Kane's hands. His enthusiasm, humor, and delight in deep and clear explanation imbue Truth Addict with an irresistibly light-hearted seriousness."--Michael Strevens, author of The Knowledge Machine and Professor of Philosophy, New York University "In this fast-paced world, we are inundated with headlines and claims, and it's all too easy to take them at face value rather than call them into question. And yet, to be informed and active participants, questioning is exactly what we must do. Truth Addict is a sharp, savvy guide to how we can do just that, for anyone determined to make critical, principled, and thoughtful sense of our world instead of merely getting swept along by it."--Gregory R. Hancock and Patrick J. Curran, cohosts of the podcast Quantitude "This book is a powerful antidote to simplistic thinking about truth and lies. John V. Kane makes a compelling case that real wisdom requires a different way of thinking, and he provides the tools to reach smarter conclusions."--Jay Van Bavel, Professor of Psychology, New York University "The process of scientific discovery is typically presented in ways that make it seem boring, tedious, and technical. But, at least sometimes, it is a delightful adventure. Kane's book uniquely describes the joyful experience of discovering the truth--of moving from asking questions to formulating a hypothesis to correctly interpreting the evidence. Discovering the truth can be fun, and Kane shows us how."--Paul Kellstedt, Professor of Political Science, Texas A&M University "Highly accessible and delightfully charming. Truth Addict is an engaging primer on social science and how it's done right. Kane guides the reader gently down the 'Road to Evidence, ' clearly explaining complex ideas--everything from causal inference and scientific realism to p -values and statistical bias--without jargon. Along the way, he points to scientific habits of mind essential for researchers, and he places much-needed caution signs for avoiding the cognitive fallacies that can lead us astray. Written with warmth and good-natured humor, this is both a pleasurable and informative read."--Smriti Verma and Daniël Lakens, cohosts of the podcast Nullius in Verba