The elephant in the brain : hidden motives in everyday life / Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson.

"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...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Simler, Kevin, 1982- (Author), Hanson, Robin, 1959- (Author)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2018]
Subjects:

MARC

LEADER 00000cam a2200000 i 4500
001 b2866252
003 MWH
005 20180312113647.0
008 170517s2018 nyua b 001 0 eng
010 |a 2017004296 
019 |a 1017489950  |a 1018379801 
020 |a 9780190495992  |q hardcover 
020 |a 0190495995  |q hardcover 
020 |z 9780190496012  |q electronic publication 
035 |a (OCoLC)982092901 
035 |a (OCoLC)982092901  |z (OCoLC)1017489950  |z (OCoLC)1018379801 
040 |a DLC  |b eng  |e rda  |c DLC  |d BTCTA  |d YDX  |d BDX  |d OCLCO  |d OCLCF  |d OCLCQ  |d UAP  |d T3B  |d IHX  |d YDX  |d OCLCO  |d PWC  |d VP@  |d GZM 
042 |a pcc 
049 |a HCDD 
050 0 0 |a BF697.5.S426  |b S56 2018 
100 1 |a Simler, Kevin,  |d 1982-  |e author. 
245 1 4 |a The elephant in the brain :  |b hidden motives in everyday life /  |c Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson. 
246 3 |a Hidden motives in everyday life 
264 1 |a New York, NY :  |b Oxford University Press,  |c [2018] 
300 |a x, 397 pages :  |b illustrations ;  |c 25 cm 
336 |a text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a unmediated  |b n  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a volume  |b nc  |2 rdacarrier 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references and index. 
520 |a "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."--  |c Provided by publisher. 
520 |a "This book exposes our unconscious selfish motives, those we're reluctant to discuss or even think about. These motives drive our body language, laughter, and conversation, as well as venerated institutions like art, school, charity, medicine, politics, and religion"--  |c Provided by publisher. 
505 0 |a Why we hide our motives. Animal behavior ; Competition ; Norms ; Cheating ; Self-deception ; Counterfeit reasons -- Hidden motives in everyday life. Body language ; Laughter ; Conversation ; Consumption ; Art ; Charity ; Education ; Medicine ; Religion ; Politics ; Conclusion. 
650 0 |a Self-deception. 
650 0 |a Subconsciousness. 
650 0 |a Cognitive psychology. 
700 1 |a Hanson, Robin,  |d 1959-  |e author. 
907 |a .b28662520  |b 07-11-18  |c 03-12-18 
998 |a hd  |a hz  |b 04-13-18  |c m  |d a   |e -  |f eng  |g nyu  |h 4  |i 0 
994 |a C0  |b HCD 
945 |f  - -   |g 1  |h 0  |i 38400000785111  |j  - -   |k 05-29-2018 15:37  |l hddin  |o -  |p $0.00  |q -  |r -  |s -   |t 0  |u 3  |v 0  |w 3  |x 0  |y .i19831833  |z 04-13-18 
999 f f |i a33d3d51-4de8-5095-8229-593fe2ee30ec  |s b799dd7c-4ea8-5b21-aecc-f47ab3a9b08a  |t 0 
952 f f |p Can Circulate  |a College of the Holy Cross  |b Main Campus  |c Dinand  |d Dinand Library  |t 0  |e BF697.5.S426 S56 2018  |h Library of Congress classification  |i Book  |m 38400000785111