In this timely book, Cass R. Sunstein shows that organizations and nations are far more likely to prosper if they welcome dissent and promote openness. Attacking "political correctness" in all forms, Sunstein demonstrates that corporations, legislatures, even presidents are likely to blunder if they do not cultivate a culture of candor and disclosure. He shows that unjustified extremism, including violence and terrorism, often results from failure to tolerate dissenting views. The tragedy is that blunders and cruelties could be avoided if people spoke out. Sunstein casts new light on freedom of speech, showing that a free society not only forbids censorship but also provides public spaces for dissenters to expose widely held myths and pervasive injustices. He provides evidence about the effects of conformity and dissent on the federal courts. The evidence shows not only that Republican appointees vote differently from Democratic appointees but also that both Republican and Democratic judges are likely to go to extremes if unchecked by opposing views. Understanding the need for dissent illuminates countless social debates, including those over affirmative action in higher education, because diversity is indispensable to learning. Dissenters are often portrayed as selfish and disloyal, but Sunstein shows that those who reject pressures imposed by others perform valuable social functions, often at their own expense. This is true for dissenters in boardrooms, churches, unions, and academia. It is true for dissenters in the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. And it is true during times of war and peace.

凱斯·R.桑斯坦，美國當代傑齣的法學傢、政治理論傢和社會科學傢，1954年生於美國馬薩諸塞州，先後畢業於哈佛大學（1975）和哈佛法學院（1978），獲得法律博士學位，此後曾擔任聯邦高法院首位黑人大法官瑟古德·馬歇爾的助理。自1981年起任教於芝加哥大學法學院，在芝大常年擔任卡爾·盧埃林法理學卓越講席教授，受聘於法學院和政治學係。自2008年起，加盟哈佛大學法學院，先為菲利剋斯·法蘭剋福特講席教授，後升任哈佛大學羅伯特·沃姆斯利校級教授，曾擔任奧巴馬政府白宮信息和規製事務辦公室主任（2009-2012）。

自1980年代初進入學界以來，桑斯坦著作等身，在憲法理論、政治理論和行為經濟學領域都做齣瞭開拓性和基礎性的學術貢獻。2008年加盟哈佛法學院時，時任哈佛法學院院長、現為聯邦高法院大法官的艾琳娜·卡根稱桑斯坦為我們這個時代“研究領域廣、作品多、引證率高、影響力大”的法學傢。自2000年以來，桑斯坦的著作陸續有瞭中譯本，在中國學界也産生瞭深遠的影響。

關於譯者

支振鋒，法學博士，政治學博士後，中國社會科學院法學研究所副研究員，《環球法律評論》雜誌副主編。曾在美國哥倫比亞大學、英國華威大學、荷蘭烏特勒支大學以及我國颱灣地區“中央研究院法律學研究所”等高校和研究機構做訪問學者。

近年來已齣版個人專著2部，譯著6部，在《法學研究》、《環球法律評論》等核心期刊發錶學術論文約25篇；在《人民日報》、《求是》、《光明日報》等報刊發錶理論文章近20篇。此外，在《中國社會科學報》、《法製日報》、《中國青年報》、《工人日報》、《環球時報》、《南方周末》以及《紫光閣》、《民主與法製》等各類報刊發錶文章約150篇。