The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday LifeHuman 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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الصفحة ix
In 2013, Kevin considered taking his second stab at a PhD, but instead approached Robin with a suggestion that they forego the academic formalities and simply talk and work together, informally, as student and advisor.
In 2013, Kevin considered taking his second stab at a PhD, but instead approached Robin with a suggestion that they forego the academic formalities and simply talk and work together, informally, as student and advisor.
الصفحة 2
He suggested that people might have other motives for buying medicine— motives beyond simply getting healthy—and that these motives are largely unconscious. On introspection, we see only the health motive, but when we step back and ...
He suggested that people might have other motives for buying medicine— motives beyond simply getting healthy—and that these motives are largely unconscious. On introspection, we see only the health motive, but when we step back and ...
الصفحة 5
The elephant— whether in a room or in our brains— simply stands there, out in the open, and can easily be seen if only we steel ourselves to look in its direction (see Figure 1). But generally, we prefer to ignore the elephant, ...
The elephant— whether in a room or in our brains— simply stands there, out in the open, and can easily be seen if only we steel ourselves to look in its direction (see Figure 1). But generally, we prefer to ignore the elephant, ...
الصفحة 20
If hygiene were completely irrelevant, primates would simply give each other back massages instead of picking through each other's fur. But even though there's some hygienic value to social grooming, it doesn't explain why primates ...
If hygiene were completely irrelevant, primates would simply give each other back massages instead of picking through each other's fur. But even though there's some hygienic value to social grooming, it doesn't explain why primates ...
الصفحة 23
When baboons groom each other, they may happen not to be thinking about the political consequences (perhaps they're simply acting on instinct), but their lack of awareness isn't strategic. They have no need to conceal the political ...
When baboons groom each other, they may happen not to be thinking about the political consequences (perhaps they're simply acting on instinct), but their lack of awareness isn't strategic. They have no need to conceal the political ...
ما يقوله الناس - كتابة مراجعة
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LibraryThing Review
معاينة المستخدمين - Paul_S - LibraryThingThere is nothing surprising or even taboo in this book. What sheltered lives do the authors lead? This is one step above a bloke in a pub. An interesting, articulate guy but still not any kind of expert in the field. Scholarly paper - this is not. قراءة التقييم بأكمله
LibraryThing Review
معاينة المستخدمين - Tytania - LibraryThingI really didn't learn anything. We are primates who seek to elevate our status. Almost anything we do can be viewed in this light, if you squint hard enough. This really didn't add any "a-ha" moments ... قراءة التقييم بأكمله
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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
معلومات المراجع
| العنوان | The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life |
| المؤلفون | Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson |
| الإصدار | معاد طباعته |
| الناشر | Oxford University Press, 2017 |
| رقم ISBN (الرقم الدولي المعياري للكتاب) | 0190496010, 9780190496012 |
| عدد الصفحات | 288 من الصفحات |
| تصدير الاقتباس | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |