This book offers a unique contribution to the practice of science advice—the mobilization of knowledge in public decision making—by emphasizing the treasure trove of advice that can be distilled from philosophy, religion, and social science for a diverse set of policy domains. The attention paid by the authors to what theoretical knowledge means in the real world is refreshing. The editors have done an outstanding job in bringing these contributors together in one volume.

For the audience of Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science, it deserves emphasizing that the book looks at values throughout and reflects on how old and renewed readings of values may improve cultural practices. “Science” is taken in a broad meaning, with much attention paid to the social sciences, but also the “hard” sciences and their mobilization in, for example, governmental decision‐making, are covered.

The book is tightly structured with five parts that each contain three chapters with the same main titles: “Philosophy Applied to x,” “Religion Applied to x,” and “Social Science Applied to x.” With x being “Education,” “Social Welfare,” “Government,” “Criminal Justice,” and “the Economy.” The philosophy chapters utilize Western philosophical traditions and lean heavily on work in ethics and applied philosophy. The religion chapters focus on religious thinking and practices from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. And the social science chapters call upon investigation and theory from psychology, communications, sociology, social work, criminology, political science, policy studies, educational studies, and economics. Authors come predominantly from the United States, with the exception of two Dutch authors in the economics‐focused chapters.

The collection offers lots of practical insights. The editors, in their introduction, complain that “[f]or too long, academics have had little to say to practitioners and policymakers,” which is why they designed the book to “provide foundational principles and practical tools for organizing and operating our social institutions” (x). The audience stretches far beyond academia (which is, refreshingly, not a prime focus at all of the book): “The fifteen essays in this book are written for practitioners and policymakers, teachers, police officers, social workers, legislators, and the like. The authors apply relevant knowledge from their respective disciplines in hands‐on, practical ways to make their ideas useful in tackling real‐world problems” (x).