How We Know What Isn't So
Thomas Gilovich offers a wise and readable guide to the fallacy of the obvious in everyday life.
When can we trust what we believe—that "teams and players have winning streaks," that "flattery works," or that "the more people who agree, the more likely they are to be right"—and when are such beliefs suspect? Thomas Gilovich offers a guide to the fallacy of the obvious in everyday life. Illustrating his points with examples, and supporting them with the latest research findings, he documents the cognitive, social, and motivational processes that distort our thoughts, beliefs, judgments and decisions. In a rapidly changing world, the biases and stereotypes that help us process an overload of complex information inevitably distort what we would like to believe is reality. Awareness of our propensity to make these systematic errors, Gilovich argues, is the first step to more effective analysis and action.
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HOW WE KNOW WHAT ISN'T SO: The Fallibility of Human Reasoning in Everyday LifeUser Review - Jane Doe - Kirkus
The subtexts of this first-class critique of human (non)reason are that we all tell ourselves lies (at least some of the time)...that if you want to believe it's true, it is (faith healing, ESP ... Read full review
Why do people get it wrong so often?User Review - Mark in A2 - Borders
People come to conclusions and develop beliefs that are wrong, even when they think they are being completely rational, thus the title "How We Know What Isn't So". This book is a interesting and ... Read full review