The Idiot Brain: A Neuroscientist Explains What Your Head is Really Up To
Feb 2016 · Guardian Faber Publishing
4.7star
45 reviewsreport
Ebook
320
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About this ebook
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2016 GOODREADS BEST SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BOOK AWARD
'I really admire Dean Burnett's work. He's very compelling and wise and rational. You know you can trust him and you know it's going to be a great read.' Jon Ronson
***
Why do you lose arguments with people who know MUCH LESS than you?
Why can you recognise that woman, from that thing... but can't remember her name?
And why, after your last break-up, did you find yourself in the foetal position on the sofa for days, moving only to wipe the snot and tears haphazardly from your face?
Here's why: the idiot brain. For something supposedly so brilliant and evolutionarily advanced, the human brain is pretty messy, fallible and disorganised. For example, did you know that your memory is egotistical? That conspiracy theories and superstitions are the inevitable effects of a healthy brain? Or that alcohol can actually improve your memory?**
In The Idiot Brain, neuroscientist Dean Burnett tours our mysterious and mischievous grey (and white) matter. Along the way he explains the human brain's imperfections in all their glory and how these influence everything we say, do and experience. Expertly researched and entertainingly written, this book is for anyone who has wondered why their brain appears to be sabotaging their life, and what on earth it is really up to.
**Editor's note: please read the book before testing this conclusion.
'I really admire Dean Burnett's work. He's very compelling and wise and rational. You know you can trust him and you know it's going to be a great read.' Jon Ronson
***
Why do you lose arguments with people who know MUCH LESS than you?
Why can you recognise that woman, from that thing... but can't remember her name?
And why, after your last break-up, did you find yourself in the foetal position on the sofa for days, moving only to wipe the snot and tears haphazardly from your face?
Here's why: the idiot brain. For something supposedly so brilliant and evolutionarily advanced, the human brain is pretty messy, fallible and disorganised. For example, did you know that your memory is egotistical? That conspiracy theories and superstitions are the inevitable effects of a healthy brain? Or that alcohol can actually improve your memory?**
In The Idiot Brain, neuroscientist Dean Burnett tours our mysterious and mischievous grey (and white) matter. Along the way he explains the human brain's imperfections in all their glory and how these influence everything we say, do and experience. Expertly researched and entertainingly written, this book is for anyone who has wondered why their brain appears to be sabotaging their life, and what on earth it is really up to.
**Editor's note: please read the book before testing this conclusion.
Ratings and reviews
4.7
45 reviews
Madeleine Johnson
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June 9, 2018
Love this book! An easy read (speaking as someone not great at getting
through non-fiction) and makes complex concepts understandable and funny
for an average person.
12 people found this review helpful
way oo
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January 8, 2018
I've read it once and it's amzing!! There's many knowledge that I've gained. The reading experience is just hilarious. Even after having read it once it keeps me wanting to read it again and again. I would definitely recommend to those who are interested in finding out more about the brain in an excitingly funny/easy way. 😁
8 people found this review helpful
foglia
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February 3, 2018
I'm bad at reading books - it's super easy for me to lose focus but this one is actually gold👌
6 people found this review helpful
About the author
Dr Dean Burnett is a neuroscientist and a stand-up comedian. He is based at the Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences at Cardiff University. His Guardian Science blog, Brain Flapping, has been viewed over 11 million times in the last two years and has been praised by many, from Lauren Laverne to Professor Brian Cox, Simon Singh to Professor Green.
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