The books Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics have been worldwide sensations, selling tens of millions of copies. They have come to stand for challenging conventional wisdom using data rather than emotion. Questions they examine are typically: Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? How much do parents really matter? Why is chemotherapy prescribed so often if it’s so ineffective?

Now the books’ two authors, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, have turned what they’ve learned into a readable and practical toolkit for thinking smarter, harder, and different – thinking, that is, like a Freak.

On 28th May they came to Intelligence Squared to discuss their new Frequel, Think Like a Freak. They offered entertaining and practical insights such as ‘Put Your Moral Compass in Your Pocket,’ ‘If You Have No Talent, Follow Levitt’s Path to Success,’ and ‘The Upside of Quitting,’. By analysing the plans we form and the morals we choose, they showed how their insights can be applied to help us make smarter decisions in our daily lives.