Item specifics
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Condition
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Release Year
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2011
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ISBN
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9780393072990
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Book Title
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Belief Instinct : the Psychology of Souls Destiny and the Meaning of Life
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Publisher
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Norton & Company, Incorporated, w. w.
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Item Length
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9.6 in
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Publication Year
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2011
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Format
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Hardcover
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Language
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English
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Item Height
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1 in
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Genre
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Religion, Psychology
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Topic
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Spirituality, Cognitive Psychology & Cognition, Psychology of Religion, Religion & Science
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Item Weight
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15.8 Oz
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Item Width
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6.5 in
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Number of Pages
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272 Pages
The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Li…
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Norton & Company, Incorporated, w. w.
ISBN-10
0393072991
ISBN-13
9780393072990
eBay Product ID (ePID)
84619698
Product Key Features
Book Title
Belief Instinct : the Psychology of Souls Destiny and the Meaning of Life
Number of Pages
272 Pages
Language
English
Publication Year
2011
Topic
Spirituality, Cognitive Psychology & Cognition, Psychology of Religion, Religion & Science
Genre
Religion, Psychology
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
1 in
Item Weight
15.8 Oz
Item Length
9.6 in
Item Width
6.5 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2010-047252
Reviews
There’s a place in our minds where God goes. This spellbinding bookexplains how: We humans find the idea of God inviting because we evolvedto perceive minds all around us. Bering’s own clever research onchildren’s perceptions of the supernatural is the centerpiece in hisrich portrayal of the newly unfolding science of belief in God., Jesse Bering is a brilliant young psychologist, a gifted storyteller, a careful reader of Jean-Paul Sartre, and a very funny man. And his first book, The Belief Instinct, is a triumph-a moving, provocative, and entertaining exploration of the human search for meaning., Witty… [Bering] employs examples and analogies that make hisarguments seem like common sense rather than the hard-earned scientificinsights they really are., Since God didn’t exist, our human ancestors found it necessary toinvent him. In this scintillating book, Jesse Bering explains, withcharacteristic wit and wisdom, how, in the course of human evolution,God returned the compliment–by helping individuals, despite themselves,lead better lives., Jesse Bering is a brilliant young psychologist, a gifted storyteller, acareful reader of Jean-Paul Sartre, and a very funny man. And his firstbook, The Belief Instinct, is a triumph-a moving, provocative, andentertaining exploration of the human search for meaning., Bering ranges comfortably among evolutionary biology, psychology andphilosophical concerns, and finds the good science in belief.
Dewey Edition
22
TitleLeading
The
Dewey Decimal
200.1/9
Synopsis
Why is belief so hard to shake? Despite our best attempts to embrace rational thought and reject superstition, we often find ourselves appealing to unseen forces that guide our destiny, wondering who might be watching us as we go about our lives, and imagining what might come after death. In this lively and masterfully argued new book, Jesse Bering unveils the psychological underpinnings of why we believe. Combining lucid accounts of surprising new studies with insights into literature, philosophy, and even pop culture, Bering gives us a narrative that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. He sheds light on such topics as our search for a predestined life purpose, our desire to read divine messages into natural disasters and other random occurrences, our visions of the afterlife, and our curiosity about how moral and immoral behavior are rewarded or punished in this life. Bering traces all of these beliefs and desires to a single trait of human psychology, known as the “theory of mind,” which enables us to guess at the intentions and thoughts of others. He then takes this groundbreaking argument one step further, revealing how the instinct to believe in God and other unknowable forces gave early humans an evolutionary advantage. But now that these psychological illusions have outlasted their evolutionary purpose, Bering draws our attention to a whole new challenge: escaping them. Thanks to Bering’s insight and wit, The Belief Instinct will reward readers with an enlightened understanding of the universal human tendency to believe-and the tools to break free., Why is belief so hard to shake? Despite our best attempts to embrace rational thought and reject superstition, we often find ourselves appealing to unseen forces that guide our destiny, wondering who might be watching us as we go about our lives, and imagining what might come after death. In this lively and masterfully argued new book, Jesse Bering unveils the psychological underpinnings of why we believe. Combining lucid accounts of surprising new studies with insights into literature, philosophy, and even pop culture, Bering gives us a narrative that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. He sheds light on such topics as our search for a predestined life purpose, our desire to read divine messages into natural disasters and other random occurrences, our visions of the afterlife, and our curiosity about how moral and immoral behavior are rewarded or punished in this life. Bering traces all of these beliefs and desires to a single trait of human psychology, known as the theory of mind, which enables us to guess at the intentions and thoughts of others. He then takes this groundbreaking argument one step further, revealing how the instinct to believe in God and other unknowable forces gave early humans an evolutionary advantage. But now that these psychological illusions have outlasted their evolutionary purpose, Bering draws our attention to a whole new challenge: escaping them. Thanks to Bering’s insight and wit, The Belief Instinct will reward readers with an enlightened understanding of the universal human tendency to believe-and the tools to break free., In this lively and masterfully argued new book, Jesse Bering unveils the psychological underpinnings of why we believe. Combining lucid accounts of surprising new studies with insights into literature, philosophy, and even pop culture, Bering gives us a narrative that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. He sheds light on such topics as our search for a predestined life purpose, our desire to read divine messages into natural disasters and other random occurrences, our visions of the afterlife, and our curiosity about how moral and immoral behavior are rewarded or punished in this life. Bering traces all of these beliefs and desires to a single trait of human psychology, known as the “theory of mind,” which enables us to guess at the intentions and thoughts of others. He then takes this groundbreaking argument one step further, revealing how the instinct to believe in God and other unknowable forces gave early humans an evolutionary advantage. But now that these psychological illusions have outlasted their evolutionary purpose, Bering draws our attention to a whole new challenge: escaping them. Thanks to Bering’s insight and wit, The Belief Instinct will reward readers with an enlightened understanding of the universal human tendency to believe-and the tools to break free., Top 25 Books of 2011 by the American Library Association, Choice Reviews Named one of the 11 Best Psychology Books of 2011 by The Atlantic “A balanced and considered approach to this often inflammatory topic.” –Nature
LC Classification Number
BF51.B47 2011
Price : 5.35
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