Prologue : the marmokrebs and the hidden half -- Bill is not Ben : hidden influences on the path through life -- I am not constant : unsuspected causes of belief and choice -- Here is not there, now is not then : obscure differences that subvert knowledge -- One path is not enough : what 'finding out' through research doesn't see -- The principle isn't practical : big ideas and the small print -- Big is not small : the hidden limits of what's probable -- Big is not clear : hidden complexity in simple stories -- The ignorant chicken : on ignoring the hidden half -- What to do -- Postscript : why the hidden half?

"A groundbreaking and ingenious perspective on the barriers to human understanding, The Hidden Half is essential reading for thinkers and decision-makers everywhere. Why is vital economic data often hopelessly wrong? What makes young criminals turn out so unpredictably different? Why does scientific research produce lots of false findings? Why do many prescription medicines do nothing for most people? The answer lies in The Hidden Half - a world of fascinating complexity that defies our attempts to comprehend it. Using counter-intuitive stories from economics, policy, genetics, business and science, Michael Blastland reveals how in our quest to make the world more understandable, we lose sight of how easily it frustrates us. Entertaining and provocative, this will change how you think." -- Taken from dust jacket.