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Title details for The Enigma of Reason by Hugo Mercier - Available

The Enigma of Reason

by Hugo Mercier
Dan Sperber
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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Reason, we are told, is what makes us human, the source of our knowledge and wisdom. If reason is so useful, why didn't it also evolve in other animals? If reason is that reliable, why do we produce so much thoroughly reasoned nonsense? In their groundbreaking account of the evolution and workings of reason, Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber set out to solve this double enigma. Reason, they argue with a compelling mix of real-life and experimental evidence, is not geared to solitary use, to arriving at better beliefs and decisions on our own. What reason does, rather, is help us justify our beliefs and actions to others, convince them through argumentation, and evaluate the justifications and arguments that others address to us.
In other words, reason helps humans better exploit their uniquely rich social environment. This interactionist interpretation explains why reason may have evolved and how it fits with other cognitive mechanisms. It makes sense of strengths and weaknesses that have long puzzled philosophers and psychologists—why reason is biased in favor of what we already believe, why it may lead to terrible ideas and yet is indispensable to spreading good ones.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    November 21, 2017

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781541496217
      • File size: 430455 KB
      • Duration: 14:56:46

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      The authors provide an explanation for where reason came from, a history of reason within human endeavours, and some ways for listeners to understand how they may be abusing reason and blinding themselves from the rational views of others. Narrator Liam Gerrard's beautifully raspy voice goes well with his English accent. His lively and emphatic delivery is just the thing this audiobook needs to avoid being daunting to the average listener. His pacing and projection keep the text moving at a consistent pace and help unpack passages that involve complex logic. L.E. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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