Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing by Jamie HolmesMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
In a "post-fact" society, does it matter whether we know something or not? Although Nonsense was published before even primary season took place, this was an unintentionally timely read. I personally tend to prefer knowing versus the unknown, so learning the uses of and embracing (or at least feeling comfortable with) not knowing seems relevant, too.
In general, Nonsense is a very readable book, perfect for the popular science reader but well-cited with extensive end notes (on a stylistic note, I liked that they weren't numbered in the text because that can be distracting, and reading linearly made them a bit of a reminder of what earlier chapters covered. While some were simple citations, others were longer descriptions of context around quotations or events).
In the first part, Mr. Holmes prompts us to notice how we respond to ambiguity, and how the need for closure catches our attention, makes us assume, and potentially distresses us when the situation is particularly unexpected. The middle section highlights examples of reactions to unexpected or ambiguous situations from natural disasters and hostage crises to the unpredictable world of fashion trends and whether or not more medical tests will really clear up an unclear diagnosis (spoiler alert: it may be more costly for the patient, but for that see The Empowered Patient: How to Get the Right Diagnosis, Buy the Cheapest Drugs, Beat Your Insurance Company, and Get the Best Medical Care Every Time). The final part covers how embracing the unknown is useful: where failure is often the stepping stone to scientific progress and taking away constraints of preconceived notions on your perspective may lead to new insights.
I've seen the phrased tossed around re: graduate school "The more you learn, you realize how little you actually know." This is a lesson I need to be reminded of, and Nonsense reminded me that it's okay if I don't know the answers.
Obtained via Blogging for Books in exchange for an unbiased review- took me longer to get around this than intended, but better late than never.
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