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The Believing Brain

byMichael Shermer

Genres: Science Psychology Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Who is this book for? Readers interested in psychology, cognitive science, and the nature of belief.

Topics Belief and doubtCognitive neuroscienceKnowledge

Synthesizing thirty years of research, psychologist and science historian, Michael Shermer upends the traditional thinking about how humans form beliefs about the world. Simply put, beliefs come first and explanations for beliefs follow. The brain, Shermer argues, is a belief engine. Using sensory data that flow in through the senses, the brain naturally looks for and finds patterns - and then infuses those patterns with meaning, forming beliefs. Once beliefs are formed, our brains subconsciously seek out confirmatory evidence in support of those beliefs, which accelerates the process of reinforcing them, and round and round the process goes in a positive-feedback loop.In The Believing Brain, Shermer provides countless real-world examples of how this process operates, from politics, economics, and religion to conspiracy theories, the supernatural, and the paranormal. Ultimately, he demonstrates why science is the best tool ever devised to determine whether or not our belief matches reality.

Language

Published on

06/07/2012

Pages

400

Format

Paperback

ISBN

9781780335292

Price Comparison

waterstones

Paperback

12.99 £

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