Peter Leeson the Duncan Black professor of Economics and Law at George Mason University is known for his exploration of the rational voice theory as well as making economic thinking accessible from a layman’s point of view. His exploration of bizarre behavior also makes his work attractive and appealing to most readers. The central theme addressed in this book is based on the fact that people are forced by circumstances to behave in rational ways so that they can be able to make ends meet, they struggle to do so because of constraints such as resources and beliefs that make them engage in bizarre behavior.
The author succeeds in communicating his intended message since his organization of the book is done in a manner that is entertaining to read and at the same time it is enlightening, it is basically fun to read the book since he analyzes strange phenomenon and their rationale, while involving colorful characters on the tour who are place there purposely to ask the questions that the reader ought to have asked. Even a reader who is new to the field of economics or social theory does not find hard to engage in the reading of the book since its fascinating, engaging and at the same time enlightening. This is also seen in his other books such as “The Invisible Hook” where he also explores a bizarre behavior and develops a rational economic thinking.
Peter Leeson’s exploration of incentives that guide human behavior enables the reader of his book to develop an economic thinking. He takes the reader and a fictionally created group of visitors in the story on a narrated museum tour with an aim of establishing peculiarities in human behavior. It is during this tour that the author takes the reader through the application of the rational choice theory to each “Museum Exhibit” so as to ensure rationality prevails even in the most bizarre circumstances that one might come across. The rational thought derived from the rational choice theory is dominant to an extent that it shapes the authors theme. Leeson takes his readers as well as participants through different episodes in human behavior and through his explanation of each exhibit, the reader as well as participants of the tour and surprisingly enough their behavior is logical.
The insights I get from reading this book therefore with regards to the rational choice theory is that regardless of the prevailing circumstances, rationality has to reign. The book also a sense of economic thinking in me after engaging its reading, the author is able to convince his reader and help the reader learn how to use economic thinking to reveal the hidden sense behind seemingly senseless human behavior. The author reflects on how other than that the irrational behavior humanity’s most outstanding rituals are actually indigenous, solutions to emerging problems especially those that are driven by incentives and made to conform into the parameters of time and place (Koyama 22).
After a review of Peter Leeson’s idea regarding the rational choice perspective I would say that he has indeed come up with a very effective book which tries to explain economic phenomena in terms of a neoclassical rational actor model. This is depicted in the author’s use of fictional actors as characters and as participants in the tour to the museum, this to me is unique and makes the book stand out. His argument with regards to the rational choice is also an aspect that got my eye as it presents a rather logical path in drawing his conclusions. One of the examples that the author uses to surface his claims is the scenario presented in the last chapter of the book where the tour introduces the Norman Practice of trial by combat where disputes such as land disputes were being solved by combat, meaning that both claimants are subjected to a fight. In this example the author tries to bring out the aspect of faith that a trial can produce the truth, in short his argument was that outcomes relied more on the underlying incentives of what is being contested rather that divine intervention. This thought is also reflected in two other examples that the author uses, one of examining the Catholic church practice and the other the poisoning of chickens among the Azande of North Central Africa, both these examples tried to depict how divine intervention could not be relied as compared to incentives.
In a nutshell, Peter Leeson’s argument is that regardless of circumstances no matter how bizarre they might be, rationality always prevails. This argument is justified and the author manages to convince his reader that indeed rationality always prevails through the various logical examples depicted in the book. On the issue of incentives and how they guide behavior, the author is successful in proofing to the reader that incentives actually do play a big role in decision making as well as developing an economic thinking. Generally, the author’s exploration and explanation of bizarre behavior through the application of the rational choice theory and economic thinking enable him to successfully communicate his intended message.
Works Cited
Koyama, Mark. "Peter T. Leeson, WTF?!: An economic tour of the weird." The Review of Austrian Economics, 2017.
