rdf-syntax-grammar
mods:
  schema location: http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
  title info:
    non sort: The
    title: elephant in the brain
    sub title: hidden motives in everyday life
  name:
    name part: Simler, Kevin
    name part: 1982-
    role:
      role term: creator
    role:
      role term: author.
  name:
    name part: Hanson, Robin
    name part: 1959-
    role:
      role term: author.
  type of resource: text
  genre: bibliography
  origin info:
    place:
      place term: nyu
    date issued: 2018
    issuance: monographic
  language:
    language term: eng
  physical description:
    form: print
    extent: x, 397 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm
  abstract: "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."--
  abstract: "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"--
  table of contents: 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.
  note: Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson.
  note: Includes bibliographical references and index.
  subject:
    topic: Self-deception
  subject:
    topic: Subconsciousness
  subject:
    topic: Cognitive psychology
  subject:
    topic: PSYCHOLOGY
    topic: Cognitive Psychology
  subject:
    topic: Cognitive psychology
  subject:
    topic: Self-deception
  subject:
    topic: Subconsciousness
  classification: BF697.5.S426 S56 2018
  classification: 153.8
  classification: 154.2
  classification: PSY008000
  identifier: 9780190495992
  identifier: 0190495995
  identifier: 9780190496012
  identifier: 2017004296
  record info:
    record content source: DLC
    record creation date: 170517
    record change date: 20191203093240.0
    record identifier: in00004090056
    language of cataloging:
      language term: eng