{"title":"Hugo Mercier","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the intriguing world of Hugo Mercier, a prominent voice in the realm of \u003cem\u003ePhilosophy \u0026amp; Psychology\u003c\/em\u003e. Known for his sharp insights and engaging writing style, Mercier delves into the intricacies of human cognition and behavioural dynamics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003eNot Born Yesterday\u003c\/strong\u003e, Mercier challenges conventional beliefs about gullibility and persuasion, offering a fresh perspective on how humans critically assess information. It's a thought-provoking exploration that is as enlightening as it is accessible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother compelling read, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Enigma of Reason\u003c\/strong\u003e, co-authored with Dan Sperber, examines the function and origins of human reason. The book sheds light on how reason operates as both a social and cognitive tool, pushing readers to reconsider their understanding of this fundamental aspect of human nature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHugo Mercier's works invite readers to question, analyse, and understand the complexities of the human mind. His books are a brilliant choice for anyone intrigued by the study of human thought processes and how they shape our perception of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-enigma-of-reason-by-hugo-mercier-9780241957851","title":"The Enigma of Reason","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn exploration of human rationality from two ground-breaking thinkers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReason, 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?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn their ground-breaking 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn other words, reason has evolved to help humans better exploit their uniquely rich social environment. This illuminating interpretation of reason makes sense of strengths and weaknesses that have long puzzled philosophers and psychologists - why reason is biased in favour of what we already believe, why it may lead to terrible ideas and yet is indispensable to spreading good ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmbitious, provocative, and entertaining, \u003cem\u003eThe Enigma of Reason\u003c\/em\u003e will spark debate among psychologists and philosophers, and make many reasonable people rethink their own thinking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46516786266348,"sku":"9780241957851","price":30.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3292053482274.jpg?v=1748930076"},{"product_id":"not-born-yesterday-by-hugo-mercier-9780691208923","title":"Not Born Yesterday","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy people are not as gullible as we think, \u003ci\u003eNot Born Yesterday\u003c\/i\u003e explains how we decide who we can trust and what we should believe—and argues that we're pretty good at making these decisions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this lively and provocative book, Hugo Mercier demonstrates how virtually all attempts at mass persuasion—whether by religious leaders, politicians, or advertisers—fail miserably. Drawing on recent findings from political science and other fields ranging from history to anthropology, Mercier shows that the narrative of widespread gullibility, in which a credulous public is easily misled by demagogues and charlatans, is simply wrong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhy is mass persuasion so difficult? Mercier uses the latest findings from experimental psychology to show how each of us is endowed with sophisticated cognitive mechanisms of open vigilance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eComputing a variety of cues, these mechanisms enable us to be on guard against harmful beliefs, while being open enough to change our minds when presented with the right evidence. Even failures—when we accept false confessions, spread wild rumours, or fall for quack medicine—are better explained as bugs in otherwise well-functioning cognitive mechanisms than as symptoms of general gullibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eNot Born Yesterday\u003c\/i\u003e shows how we filter the flow of information that surrounds us, argues that we do it well, and explains how we can do it better still.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"NewSouth Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000690622700,"sku":"9780691208923","price":56.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/2076373482434.jpg?v=1763297630"},{"product_id":"not-born-yesterday-by-hugo-mercier-9780691178707","title":"Not Born Yesterday","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy people are not as gullible as we think. \u003ci\u003eNot Born Yesterday\u003c\/i\u003e explains how we decide who we can trust and what we should believe—and argues that we're pretty good at making these decisions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this lively and provocative book, Hugo Mercier demonstrates how virtually all attempts at mass persuasion—whether by religious leaders, politicians, or advertisers—fail miserably. Drawing on recent findings from political science and other fields, ranging from history to anthropology, Mercier shows that the narrative of widespread gullibility, in which a credulous public is easily misled by demagogues and charlatans, is simply wrong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhy is mass persuasion so difficult? Mercier uses the latest findings from experimental psychology to show how each of us is endowed with sophisticated cognitive mechanisms of open vigilance. Computing a variety of cues, these mechanisms enable us to be on guard against harmful beliefs, while being open enough to change our minds when presented with the right evidence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEven failures—when we accept false confessions, spread wild rumours, or fall for quack medicine—are better explained as bugs in otherwise well-functioning cognitive mechanisms than as symptoms of general gullibility. \u003ci\u003eNot Born Yesterday\u003c\/i\u003e shows how we filter the flow of information that surrounds us, argues that we do it well, and explains how we can do it better still.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"NewSouth Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000690753772,"sku":"9780691178707","price":74.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/1774213482434.jpg?v=1763297648"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/hugo-mercier.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}