We live in a world shaped by the ambiguous legacy of the Enlightenment...[it] enlarged the scope of human freedom, prepared our minds for the scientific method, made man the measure of all things, and placed individual consent front and center on the political stage.
James Q. WilsonA particular rule that seems to make sense in the individual case makes no sense when it is made a universal rule and applied to all cases. It makes no sense because it fails to take into account the connection between one broken window left untended and a thousand broken windows.
James Q. WilsonI believe we ought to subsidize some health care for the poor, but Medicare subsidizes everyone's health care
James Q. WilsonWhat most needs explanation is not why some people are criminals, but why most people are not.
James Q. Wilson