The believing brain
by Michael Shermer · first published 2011
7mentions
4recommended by
5HN commenters
2011–2022first – last mentioned
80% recommend20% neutral
Shermer demonstrates how our brains selectively assess data in an attempt to confirm the conclusions (beliefs) we've already reached. Drawing on evolution, cognitive science, and neuroscience, he considers not only supernatural beliefs but political and economic ones as well.
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The whole "bird man" incident does a lot to illustrate why The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths by Michael Shermer http://www.amazon.com/Believing-Brain-Conspiracies-How-Const... may be the…
on “‘Bird Man’ Hoaxster Comes Clean on Dutch Television” ↗…brain presenting information to your conscsious parts. I notice this too! It's amazing, and I think it's where the whole "gut feel" comes from. If you're interested in more of this stuff check out "The Believing Brain" by Michael Shermer, and "Consciousness Explained" by Daniel Dennett.
on “Ask HN: How do you learn complex, dense technical information?” ↗…fallacies, superstitions, mass hysterias/hallucinations and other silly behaviour. We're intellectually sophisticated compared to our ancestors. Yet, many of our contemporaries still "see" ghosts. "The Believing Brain" by Michael Shermer is a very approachable intro to the topic of how this phenomenon came about and why it persists. > How many times do people pull out their microscope and scientific instruments to…
on “Taking Sex Differences in Personality Seriously (2019)” ↗Relevant books Why People Believe Weird Things (http://www.amazon.co.uk/People-Believe-Weird-Things-ebook/dp...) The Believing Brain (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Believing-Brain-ebook/dp/B005RZB...) Irrationality (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irrationality-ebook/dp/B0046ZRNLE/re...) etc etc.
on “The $2.7 Trillion Medical Bill” ↗…observe where it appears to be violated. The human mind leaps to supposing explanations and forming a narrative around new, disturbing events. The mind is a "belief engine" http://www.amazon.com/The-Believing-Brain-Conspiracies-How-C... and all of us would like to get an answer, even a quick and dirty answer that may be flat wrong, rather than have unanswered questions about a shocking news story. I remember well…
on “Don’t Jump to Conclusions About the Killer” ↗…interesting and bold conclusions we might be tempted to draw from some striking factual statement, the more we should check it out to see if the statement can be verified. See Michael Shermer's new book The Believing Brain, http://www.amazon.com/Believing-Brain-Conspiracies-How-Const... which I am reading right now, for much more on how easy it is to believe a statement without checking it for accuracy first, and how…
on “Separating bunk from fact in Malcolm Gladwell's performance ” ↗The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GHN26W?ie=UTF8&tag=... Thinking, Fast and Slow : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00555X8OA?ie=UTF8&tag=...…
on “Ask HN: What are you reading right now?” ↗