The Enigma of Reason : A New Theory of Human Understanding

Resumen del libro

If reason is what makes us human, then why do we humans often behave so irrationally? Taking us from desert ants to Aristotle, cognitive psychologists Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber explore how our 'flawed superpower' of reason works, how it doesn't, and how it evolved to help us develop as social beings. 'Original and provocative ... likely to have a big impact on our understanding of ourselves' Steven Pinker'Brilliant, elegant and compelling ...

turns reason's weaknesses into strengths, arguing that its supposed flaws are actually design features that work remarkably well ... A timely and necessary book' Julian Baggini, Financial Times 'Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber have solved one of the most important and longstanding puzzles in psychology' Jonathan Haidt'Reason is more likely to confirm things that we want to be true, or which we already believe. So why does it exist? This book provides the answer' Alex Dean, Prospect

Biografía del autor

Hugo Mercier es un científico cognitivo que trabaja para el Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas de Francia, en Lyon. Su trabajo se centra en el razonamiento y la vigilancia epistémica. Esta investigación tiene el objetivo de comprender mejor el proceso de propagación de creencias falsas dañinas (por ejemplo, sobre la vacunación), para combatirlas. Trata de entender en profundidad los fenómenos culturales a través del conocimiento que nos proporciona la psicología.