The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday LifeOxford University Press, 01/12/2017 - 288 من الصفحات Human beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains, therefore, are designed not just to hunt and gather, but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better - and thus we don't like to talk or even think about the extent of our selfishness. This is "the elephant in the brain." Such an introspective taboo makes it hard for us to think clearly about our nature and the explanations for our behavior. The aim of this book, then, is to confront our hidden motives directly - to track down the darker, unexamined corners of our psyches and blast them with floodlights. Then, once everything is clearly visible, we can work to better understand ourselves: Why do we laugh? Why are artists sexy? Why do we brag about travel? Why do we prefer to speak rather than listen? Our unconscious motives drive more than just our private behavior; they also infect our venerated social institutions such as Art, School, Charity, Medicine, Politics, and Religion. In fact, these institutions are in many ways designed to accommodate our hidden motives, to serve covert agendas alongside their "official" ones. The existence of big hidden motives can upend the usual political debates, leading one to question the legitimacy of these social institutions, and of standard policies designed to favor or discourage them. You won't see yourself - or the world - the same after confronting the elephant in the brain. |
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... entertaining on every page.” — Alex Tabarrok, author of Modern Principles of Economics “A disturbing and important book.” — Arnold Kling, author of The Three Languages of Politics The Elephant in the Brain The Elephant in the Brain.
... entertaining on every page.” — Alex Tabarrok, author of Modern Principles of Economics “A disturbing and important book.” — Arnold Kling, author of The Three Languages of Politics The Elephant in the Brain The Elephant in the Brain.
الصفحة vii
... Language 111 8 Laughter 129 9 Conversation 149 10 Consumption 169 11 Art 187 12 Charity 205 13 Education 225 14 Medicine 241 15 Religion 261 16 Politics 283 17 Conclusion 303 Notes 315 References 353 Index 385 PREFACE Although Robin has ...
... Language 111 8 Laughter 129 9 Conversation 149 10 Consumption 169 11 Art 187 12 Charity 205 13 Education 225 14 Medicine 241 15 Religion 261 16 Politics 283 17 Conclusion 303 Notes 315 References 353 Index 385 PREFACE Although Robin has ...
الصفحة 8
... language. In fact, we have such little introspective access into these behaviors, or voluntary control over them, that it's fair to say “we” aren't really in charge. Our brains choreograph these interactions on our behalves, and with ...
... language. In fact, we have such little introspective access into these behaviors, or voluntary control over them, that it's fair to say “we” aren't really in charge. Our brains choreograph these interactions on our behalves, and with ...
الصفحة 25
... language. This much is common sense. But in addition to biases in the evidence itself, we are also biased in the way we approach it. In this respect, we're not so much drunk as we are vain; we want our species to be seen in the most ...
... language. This much is common sense. But in addition to biases in the evidence itself, we are also biased in the way we approach it. In this respect, we're not so much drunk as we are vain; we want our species to be seen in the most ...
الصفحة 30
... language evolution, they write: “Interacting with an organism of approximately equal mental abilities whose motives are at times outright malevolent makes formidable and ever- escalating demands on cognition.”5 Robert Trivers goes even ...
... language evolution, they write: “Interacting with an organism of approximately equal mental abilities whose motives are at times outright malevolent makes formidable and ever- escalating demands on cognition.”5 Robert Trivers goes even ...
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activities actually advertise animal asked become behavior beliefs benefit better body brains Chapter charity competition consider conspicuous consumers conversation cost course deception don’t donate effect entirely especially example expect experience explain face fact feel friends function getting give given going hand happen hard human important impressive individual interest it’s keep kind language laugh laughter least less listeners live look loyalty male mates means medicine minds motives natural norms ourselves parties patients percent person play political prefer Press question reasons religion religious result sense signal similar simply social someone speaking spend status subjects talk there’s they’re things tion turn typically understand voting we’re what’s