This premillennial entry from Sowell goes over ground familiar from his other books, and manages to frame what emerges today as the "woke" wars in cultural politics. You can spot this group better in another premillennial book [b:Who Killed Homer? The Demise of Classical Education and the Recovery of Greek Wisdom|101487|Who Killed Homer? The Demise of Classical Education and the Recovery of Greek Wisdom|Victor Davis Hanson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459186721l/101487._SY75_.jpg|54819961] by Victor Davis Hanson, describing the infiltration of academia and dissolution of the classics departments in particular. In that regard "cosmic justice" hits the mark, as it accurately describes the moral philosophy now better known as equity over equality, and the arbitrary nature of trying to nudge the balance scales of life toward this nebulous goal.

That said I don't think Sowell really nails the definition of the enemy nor what to do about it here. He also has a disappointing knack of calling for nuanced understanding of a topic and then reducing everything to a parallel with communism or nazism to score cheap points himself. [b:Intellectuals and Race|16280863|Intellectuals and Race|Thomas Sowell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1357613803l/16280863._SY75_.jpg|22382589] was the better book, though the subjects are only partially overlapping. ( )

You can't read TS at a normal pace. You read him as if you are running a race, trying to beat him to his own conclusions(though you never do) and arrive gasping at the end to discover him breathing calmly and about to start another race. You get to learn his favorite examples (rent control, minimum wage, job scarcity and minority groups) but he strings them together to make differing points that it's worth it to pay close attention. Here he tackles the ideas of justice and whatever you call the awesome theory behind Warner's Bonds That Make Us Free. ( )

nothing really new, skimmed

I almost want to give this 5 stars but there were a few spots where I thought his logic was lacking or oversimplified, so I will give 4. It is a book written for the common reader, rewritten from an academic paper, so perhaps we can forgive the oversimplification, but there were a few logically strange points that still bugged me even given that, Nonetheless, I really really enjoyed this book, and I'm glad I read it. It made me want to start thinking about econ again...of course before I could do so I got swept aside once more by frilly lacey clothes, but oh well. At least I had some pseudo-intellectual thoughts for a few days. ( )

The Quest for Cosmic Justice by Thomas Sowell is a strong argument against a liberal agenda of dispensing "justice" for certain groups. Those seeking "cosmic justice," as opposed to the rule of law and nature, is to overtly 'uplift' said groups while covertly 'punishing' the successful or members of a superior group.

While not being bogged down in statistics, but offering enough to support his claims, Professor Sowell completely explains how partitioning or determining how justice is doled out is harming our society. Not only are group protecting legislative actions hurtful, they have ushered in a tacit use of ex post facto judgement of the law, which is wholly unconstitutional.

If there is one book of his you should read, this is it. ( )