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Rated 5 out of 5by Jcssfrom Tour de force of human existence?I purchased the audio on version so I could listen in the car. The content was comprehensive and thought provoking. The range of topics is astonishing(except perhaps to economists) Each of the lectures is self contained and cogently constructed. The presenter is likable and uses well constructed examples to prevent misunderstanding. I will listen to this course again in about six months.

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Rated 5 out of 5by Bob43kfrom Great look at Applications for EconomicsI've studied some economics in college. My professors never made it seem so applicable. Dr. Taylor is a great combination of smart and self-deprecating, that really makes you want to follow along

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Rated 2 out of 5by Xavierfrom Disappointing!In this series of 24 lectures, Professor Timothy Taylor applies a strictly economic analysis to a wide variety of topics, from selling an organ to obesity to drug abuse. Overall, he comes out as trying too hard to be off the beaten track by ignoring arguments that are not economic. It is hard to believe that any human being would consider only pecuniary factors in, say, deciding to have children or not! Perhaps, Professor Taylor is not really taking himself too seriously? What makes matters worse for the listener is that he tends to be long winded and speaks with an aggravating tone of voice, except at the start of some lectures when he is clearly trying not to. Though there is substance to these lectures, it appears best to pass this series and spend time on better offerings by the Great Courses.

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Rated 4 out of 5by Evamariefrom No longer intimidated by economicsNot sure what drew me to this course, but whatever it was, I'm grateful. My favorite chapter related to myopic preferences and I found it fascinating enough to listen to it more than once, and convinced my husband to listen as well. I recommend this class and expect others will be equally pleased with the unexpected economics in everyday life.

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Rated 5 out of 5by MemphisPhilfrom Outstanding for extended interstate travelThis is the first of the CD audio format that I have purchased. Found it excellent for travel and extended time in the automobile specially this topic that does not require lots of graphics or illustrations. Would definitely purchase again

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Rated 5 out of 5by Dr Vickyfrom Really fascinating stuffThis course has a lot in common with the one titled "Behavioral Economics." Both have to do with the interplay between human behavior and economics. The professor in this course (actually, in both courses) explains things clearly and concisely. Very nicely done!

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Rated 5 out of 5by Kraigfrom Unexpected EconomicsI am about two thirds thru this lecture series and I truly enjoy these lectures. He can bring out economic insights which are valid and does not offend at the same time. I have always liked economics and this lecture series confirms my affection.

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Rated 3 out of 5by BTdeCAfrom An OK Attempt to get Economics in yourBloodAs an economics grad., I am schooled in the lingo, concepts and history of modern economics. So, this course was a little bit of a let down for two reasons: Normally, Tim "The Teaching Man" Taylor is measured, careful and traceable in his delivery and his material is worthy of some modicum of academic rigor. In this most recent "unexpected Economics" course, I can only give it a passing grade. Such reviews are often subjective. And, as I've read other's reviews who praised either the professor or the material, I will try to be objective. Tim's delivery is at issue as he seems constricted, tense, pent up and ready to explode. His delivery comes off in much the same manner as when one purses the neck of an inflated party balloon and lets the air escape as a high-pitched screech. So, too is the material "stretched" in an attempt at showing economics all around, under and in everyday life. Many good, sound economic concepts are touched upon but only in the guise of trying to make the square peg of these tenets fit into the round hole of his examples. The attempt at making the relatively dry subject of economics into applicable and interesting gemstones of mass appeal and interest does not succeed. A good course when purchased "on sale." This is not faint praise. It is, after all, a rather lazy and easily digested way to be exposed to the arcane world of economicsa lot easier than climbing a rock wall.

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Rated 4 out of 5by JosephEfrom Interesting presentation of non-traditional economThis is an interesting lecture about economics applied to non - monetary markets. If you are an economics major or a major economics junky you probably know most of this stuff, but for the rest of the world, this is a nice intro to the concept that economics is about more than money.

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Rated 5 out of 5by DGProffrom Economic Reasoning At Its BestSo much for economics as the dismal science,Professor Taylor puts that characterization to bed! He does a super job in applying economic reasoning to every day problems, and clearly notes that 'reasoning', not mathematics or jargon, is the key tool of the economist. Too bad economics isn't taught this way more often.

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Rated 4 out of 5by Arkfrom Various Interesting IdeasAs a preliminary note, I would not recommend this course unless you already have a basic understanding of economics. The Great Courses has a basic economics course taught by the same professor that should be a prerequisite to this class. This course is essentially a grab bag of economic ideas and concepts applied to a host of various situations including sports, voting, marriage, and even pregnancy and happiness. Each lesson is interesting and usually has some bit of trivia. The main criticism of this course is that it lacks a connecting thesis other than the broad idea of economic principals being applied to various life situations. The course tends to lack overall cohesion. That being said, I still enjoyed the course and felt like I walked away with some bit of knowledge after each lesson. Further, I enjoyed the "applied economics" lessons sprinkled throughout the course, such as discussions about how economics plays into decisions such as purchasing life insurance. Also, the professor does a very good job presenting in an enthusiastic and clear manner.

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Rated 5 out of 5by carneadesfrom Excellent, articulate and insightfulThe is a wonderfully interesting course taught by a very clear and articulate economist. It is easy to see that he is an award winning teacher. The multiple topics are a collection of marvelously intriguing interpretations of common situations done according to economic principles. The course does not require a prior course in economics, and does not provide rigorous explanations, but the discussions are not dumbed down. The arguments as presented mostly all make sense, though from my perspective the professor is a bit too unsympathetic to the problems of addiction and too tolerant of the market in government that politicians make with special interests. Overall, continuously entertaining!!

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Rated 5 out of 5by Efusfrom My favorite great courses lecturerI have been listening to the great courses for many many years and Professor Taylor is my favorite. Admittedly I like economics, but he is always very engaging and I learn a lot. I think I listened to one of his courses three times I buy these lectures to learn and I always learn much from Professor Taylor. I usually listen at the gym with multiple TVs on in front of me. With some courses I have to struggle to pay attention to the lecture - not with Professor Taylor.

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Rated 4 out of 5by eddocfrom casually interesting courseThe course isn't as engaging as some of the other Business & Economics courses I've watched. I preferred Thinking like an Economist and Money Management Skills. The info in this particular course is not as practical as in the other two courses.

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Rated 5 out of 5by Challengerfrom Phenomenal lecturerThis is the fourth TGC title given by Professor Taylor, the others being "Economics 3rd edition", "History of the U.S. Economy in the 20th century", and "Legacies of Great Economists". Professor Taylor is, simply put, an outrageously good lecturer. The thing I found most likeable in his teaching method is that you do not feel you are being lectured to – that is to say it is not a top down sort of deal where the lecturer shoots out the data and the student accepts it. Instead, when he tries to make a point, he shows the arguments that support accepting the point, but no less strongly he emphasizes the weak points. Sometimes he himself says that he is not certain how conclusive the research has been on topics he is covering. So instead of data being passed from teacher to student, it feels much more like sitting down in a café with a good, well informed friend, and listening to new fascinating concepts. In fact, it felt like there was a DIALOGUE being carried out, with Professor Taylor explaining the points and then answering the questions you would have asked had you actually been sitting in the cafe with him (definitely not an easy feat to pull off). You decide if you buy the arguments or not… As for the content of the course – I found it to be absolutely fascinating. The course deals with many different topics that you would not normally associate with economics, this is why it is called "UNEXPECTED economics". Some of the topics were not new to me, having heard them in other courses. One such batch, are topics that fall under the field of behavioral economics and include for example the prisoner's dilemma, the ultimatum game, and more (lectures twelve to eighteen). Nearly all of these topics are also covered in Professor Huettel's excellent TGC course "behavior Economics: when psychology and economics collide" which I have heard prior to this course (though chronologically it was released later in the TGC than "Unexpected Economics"). Even so, Professor Taylor's insights into these topics made it well worth the time to hear the discussion again. Honestly, I think that for many of the TGC audience behavioral economics is a field of which they have at least some inkling. Some of the other topics discussed WERE absolutely new to me and, true to the title, unexpected and surprising. Such topics looked at areas on the face of it totally unrelated to economics, but analyzed using economic methodologies. In some of the lectures, Professor Taylor forces us to look at issues that almost all of us tend to have a strong moral stance on, and to present different challenging approaches to them. A good example is the baby market; unconventional production of babies. People who want babies and can't have them suffer grievously. If you take this into consideration, then some solutions that until recently struck most as morally offensive tend to make sense as time passes. Male genetic seeds (I had to phrase it like to get it through the TGC profanity filter) and egg donations (or indeed commerce), in vitro fertilization and surrogate motherhood have all become acceptable to differing degrees. This is mostly because the irrepressible urge of some to have babies was so intense that they were willing to fight and change public opinion. In time, some of these baby production technologies have become mainstream. Another interesting, and perhaps more challenging example, is the organ market. Professor Taylor asks us: if you know that without an organ donation you are going to die while there are people out there who can donate an organ to you without suffering any severe medical ailment or taking on a large risk, doesn't it make sense morally to encourage such transactions? Furthermore, there are many people who have an excess in kidneys, but some are in serious deficit financially; would allowing people to trade a kidney for money not be a the classic win-win solution? Now, obviously, taking such an approach poses difficulties: would it not create a society where the poor are more apt to walk around with only one kidney? On the other hand, why should letting the poor benefit from selling organs be so repulsive, don’t doctors make a lot of money from organ transplantation? Many of the questions seem very distasteful, but allowing some of these methods – Professor Taylor argues – could save a lot of lives and a lot of human suffering. Among other unexpected topics that are covered using this unique economic perspective are the fight against national obesity, strategies in fighting against crime and traffic congestion. Even the study of happiness is not overlooked… This was the final lecture and I found it to be both interesting and extremely funny – Taylor giving a very good performance. This course has been fantastically interesting and has introduced me to a different perspective on many far ranging topics on the face of it far flung from economics. I am very glad I decided to hear it.

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Rated 4 out of 5by AZStevefrom Solid CourseHaving listened to other courses by Taylor, I was a bit disappointed by this DVD course compared to his others. As some reviewers noted, this course is all about applying economics to areas in which one wouldn't expect it to apply. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not so much. However, each lecture made me think about the topic and resulted in much introspection. Because of its thought provoking nature, I'll give this course 4 stars. Be warned that economics is NOT a hard science. Therefore, it shouldn't be compared to physics or chemistry where there are usually right and wrong answers. Economists can say what the "rational" choice is, but defining rational and finding it in nature are both difficult, if not impossible, tasks. So, this course explains how an economist would approach a number of different scenarios. Do such approaches ever apply in real life? Only sometimes. But that doesn't mean economics isn't worth studying. Having more ways to approach thinking about problems is better than fewer approaches or no approach at all . Taylor is his usual, energetic lecturer. He clearly loves economics and is excited to share his knowledge. I've listened to two of his other courses and enjoyed them immensely.

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Rated 1 out of 5by Reviewfrom Information free course. Like a bad freshman philosophy course, a definition that is very restrictive and not a correlate of reality is driven into many different areas to give insight. Brooking no other way of seeing the topic, this straight jacket of thought plows through complex forms just repeating the definition. BUT the original definition is incomplete and narrow and today intellectually weak after years of finding the rationality of economics is overblown. Go to other courses.

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Rated 4 out of 5by eokuyanfrom Not the bestI generally like courses taught by Prof Taylor however this course seems to present a bit less value than other courses by the same professor. A diverse number of topics are discussed in the course while in my opinion sufficient substance is lacking in some courses. In many courses, after the topic is introduced, its not hard to guess the following material for someone a bit knowledgeable about economics. This produces the feeling that you are taking a course about a topic you already know, which is very off putting. On the other end, course is not without value. While trying to support presented material with evidence Prof Taylor discusses about a psychological experiment or a real life event which may be interesting. Depending on your knowledge about economics, this course offers you less or more in terms of value. I recommend this course for a novice in economics, think twice before purchase if you are somewhat knowledgeable.

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Rated 4 out of 5by joshuchrisfrom Interesting."Unexpected Economics" is the application of economics into areas a person does not generally think are economic issues. I would recommend you look at the titles of each lecture to see if these are topics you would be interested in. The basic idea is that people respond to incentives and in a world of scarcity, people make choices that they think will serve them best. Economic principles are then applied to each of these sets of choices. I enjoyed the professors presentation style: serious at times, jovial at times, lots of facts, lots of practical examples. My only complaint is that the material seemed a bit stretched out in order to make 24 lectures out of the topic. I had listened to "Modern Economic Issues" first, so a number of the topics had been discussed in those lectures. I think that I would have liked this course more if I had not already been familiar with some of the material (they are taught by different professors). Out of the two I prefer "Modern Economic Issues", it has more depth and variety.

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Rated 5 out of 5by WestWatcherfrom The Economist Gives Fair WarningProfessor Taylor's course is valuable, introducing those of us unfamiliar with modern economics to current models and practices. But more than that, it's fun, showing relationships between unexpected topics in a familiar light or familiar topics in an unfamiliar light. As a learning experience to widen ones grasp of the various viewpoints available, I recommend it highly. The viewer has to avoid painting Professor Taylor with the brush commonly used to burnish economists. Consider his discussion of the relationship between economic behaviour and happiness seeking. Like all economists,when his model of economic behavior differs from the behaviors exhibited in the real world, he bemoans the “irrationality” of the individuals, not the fact that his model is defective. In the “hard” sciences such as chemistry or physics, when one's model does not agree with experiment, the scientist corrects the model. In physics, for instance, instead of complaining that real pulleys exhibit irrational friction which his model does not, the physicist seeks the source. The soft sciences, like economics, can afford this flexibility because so much of the field is speculation and opinion instead of experiential knowledge. The error is endemic to the field, not Professor Taylor. Of course, one has to keep in mind that all economists, not just Professor Taylor, attempt to be ultimately super-rationalist, allowing no hint of ethics or morals to influence their models. He wonders why there is no market for organs for transplants if there exists a supply of organs (the poor) and a supply of customers (those dying of organ failure who could afford the transplants, i.e. The rich). After all this is the basis for exchange. The fact that the same supply and demand rule applies to political assassinations and child pornography seems not to worry economists. Addiction is likewise treated as an economic choice for the addict. Addiction is presented as the addict's choice among alternatives. Professor Taylor's economics has no room for social, cognitive or physiological excuses, although, for some reason, he does allow a genetic component for the overweight. The professor's presentation is knowledgeable, enjoyable, and fast moving. He is obviously expert and just as obviously cannot be held responsible for factors that are an inherent part of his field. In short, a course to add to your list, whether your wish to be a more informed player in the real world economy or merely to be warned about an over-reliance on statistical behavior without a solid, underlying model of the world the statistics are supposed to represent.

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Rated 5 out of 5by Georgefrom Excellent presentation and materialProfessor Taylor has designed 24 interesting lectures covering a wide range of relevant topics. He discusses each topic clearly and concisely, bringing many interesting views on each. He has a traditional lecture style, but still manages to maintain your interest. He does not go into detail about each topic, but gives a great overview of the ideas in each. I was particularly interested in the meeting of Psychology and Economics in the middle lectures. Explanations of the "Ultimatum Game", "Prisoner's Dilemma" and biases in decision making were particularity good. I also enjoyed his lecture on Sport and Economics, using the "Money ball" notions of value in sports and how this links with business. Overall, a highly recommended course of relevant Economic analysis.

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Rated 5 out of 5by Jasparfrom Recommended Without Hesitation![Audio Version] This was my third course from Professor Taylor (I reviewed ‘Economics 3rd Ed.’ and ‘America and the New Global Economy’). I can’t quite say that this course is better than the previous ones, but I can say ‘Unexpected Economics’ is certainly just as good as the other two. Taylor is fun, interesting, enthusiastic, and once again hits the ground running in his almost breathless and unique fashion. He’s a gifted speaker––you can often hear the smile in his voice. While the course slowed down for me at Lecture 5 (Religion and Economics), it picked up speed again for the remaining lectures. I found myself eager for each new topic. Lecture 14 on ‘Myopic Preferences and Behavioral Economics' was a slam dunk––and for me was worth the price of the entire course. (But I wish he had dug deeper into current US problems and issues like national healthcare and Social Security.) My only beefs, minor ones, are Taylor’s reminding us too often that he is Editor of the Journal of Economic Perspectives. I also grew a tad weary of his citing so many Nobel laureates (more than a dozen are listed in the Guide Book). The Nobel Prize has become less prestigious and increasing controversial over the past several decades. Taylor’s making us so aware of the almost-celebrity status of economic superstars sometimes caused me to wonder who he was leaving out. I am grateful for professors like Taylor. In my college days, economics was indeed dreary. Taylor makes economics interesting and exciting. That takes real talent. I can recommend this course without hesitation.

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Rated 4 out of 5by Archaeophilefrom Interesting Presentation, Broadly FocusedThe content of this course is harder to rate than most Great Courses that I have taken. The subject caught my attention based on Professor Taylor’s earlier general survey course entitled simply “Economics”, which was an excellent introduction to, and/or review of, the principles of both the theory and practice of the field of economics. The present course is not intended to further the student’s understanding of economic theory, but is rather an analysis of how and why people make choices in their everyday lives. Some principles of economics are applied, such as supply and demand, price sensitivity and game theory, but the emphasis is on the economic and non-economic factors that motivate people to make both big and small lifestyle choices. The lecture headings give the prospective student a clear idea of the topics covered, most notably choices involving marriage, religion, obesity, charity giving, addiction, sports and politics. Professor Taylor, a gifted speaker who holds his audience’s attention admirably, offers a variety of explanations for human behavior, most quite rational, but occasionally a bit surprising. Despite the date of this course, one area where his discourse seems to have been overtaken by political events is in the penultimate lecture, “Voting, Money and Politics”. In most Americans would argue that there is now far too much money in U.S. electoral politics, yet Taylor points out that that the $5 billion spent on recent elections for all levels and branches of government combined is a miniscule percentage of our $14 trillion GDP, an accurate fact, but is it a reasonable comparison? In assessing a citizen’s decision whether or not to vote, he accurately points out that a single individual’s vote virtually never determines the outcome of even a local election, let alone a state or national one, though he fails to mention that Florida came pretty close in More importantly, he also implies that financial contributions by individuals do not materially affect election results, which is certainly no longer true in the post-Citizens-United era. Overall this unusual approach to economics in our lives is presented in an interesting and provocative manner, making it well worthwhile to anyone intrigued by what motivates human behavior, with results that are often “unexpected”, as the course title clearly states.

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Rated 4 out of 5by readerfrom Good Discussionaudio course Prof. Taylor presents a good discussion of various issues presented by current topics. Prof. Taylor discusses many current topics in this course. Most of the discussions are clear and thorough. Unfortunately, the course falls short as he provides no underlying framework for his discussion. His course guidebook is set up in a similar manner -- with bullet point after bullet point with no outline or other structure to be found. I would suggest that students considering this course first consider TTC's course "Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making" by Prof. Bartlett. Despite "Thinking's" smaller size (12 lectures), there is considerable overlap between the courses. Also, Prof. Bartlett spends the first three or four lectures providing an overriding framework to economic thought which I found very helpful. I would still recommend this course to those who have already completed Prof. Bartlett's course as Prof. Taylor does have the time in this course to cover the issues presented by topics that aren't addressed by Prof. Bartlett's course.

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Rated 5 out of 5by Stevefrom In the spirit of FreakonomicsIn the spirit of books like Freakonomics, Predictably Irrational, and Nudge, this course applies "economic thinking" to issues that you would not normally think of as economics: kidney transplants, marriage, charity, obesity, etc. I would say that the course is best for people who already have some background in how to think like an economist - or have an analytical personality. Prof Taylor's presentation is very good. He keeps the course interesting with lots of anecdotal stories. Some people may be uncomfortable with an analytical approach to thinking about emotional issues such as terrorism, natural disasters, and organ transplants, but that is to point of the course -- to teach people to think rationally about issues that are often driven by emotion. Given this, Prof Taylor does an excellent job of being sensitive to this potential analytical/emotional clash.

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