The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-Deception in Human LifeWhether it's in a cockpit at takeoff or the planning of an offensive war, a romantic relationship or a dispute at the office, there are many opportunities to lie and self-deceive -- but deceit and self-deception carry the costs of being alienated from reality and can lead to disaster. So why does deception play such a prominent role in our everyday lives? In short, why do we deceive? In his bold new work, prominent biological theorist Robert Trivers unflinchingly argues that self-deception evolved in the service of deceit -- the better to fool others. We do it for biological reasons -- in order to help us survive and procreate. From viruses mimicking host behavior to humans misremembering (sometimes intentionally) the details of a quarrel, science has proven that the deceptive one can always outwit the masses. But we undertake this deception at our own peril. Trivers has written an ambitious investigation into the evolutionary logic of lying and the costs of leaving it unchecked. |
Other editions - View all
The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-deception in Human Life Robert Trivers Limited preview - 2011 |
The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-Deception in Human Life Robert Trivers No preview available - 2014 |
The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-Deception in Human Life Robert Trivers No preview available - 2011 |
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ability active African Americans aggressive airlines appear Arabs Armenian genocide associated attack behavior benefit better bias biased biology birds brain Chapter chimpanzee Christian Zionism cognitive dissonance cognitive load conflict conscious copilot cost course deceit and self-deception deception degree denial deny disaster easily EgyptAir evidence evolutionary example expected face-ism fact false historical narrative fantasy favor female flight forces genes genetic genocide greater human illusion of control imagine immune function immune system important in-group increase individual induce interest internal investment Iraq Israel Israeli Jewish less logic male memory mimic NASA natural selection negative offspring one's out-group overconfidence pain Palestinians parasites parental parental investment paternal percent person pilot placebo effect plane positive problem produce psychology reality relatedness relatively religion response selection sexual social species suppress testosterone theory tion Trivers true truth turn unconscious United usually variable women Zionist