Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
29 used & new from £6.26
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
How We Know What isn't So: Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

How We Know What isn't So: Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life (Paperback)

by Thomas Gilovich (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
RRP: £12.99
Price: £9.09 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £3.90 (30%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Wednesday, July 22? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
17 new from £6.32 12 used from £6.26
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 9 used & new from £17.17

Frequently Bought Together

How We Know What isn't So: Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life + Irrationality + Bad Science
Price For All Three: £19.68

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: How We Know What isn't So: Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life by Thomas Gilovich

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Irrationality by Stuart Sutherland

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Bad Science by Ben Goldacre

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Irrationality

Irrationality

by Stuart Sutherland
4.2 out of 5 stars (27)  £6.99
Bad Science

Bad Science

by Ben Goldacre
4.6 out of 5 stars (146)  £3.60
Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives

Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives

by Richard Wiseman
4.4 out of 5 stars (28)  £4.79
Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time

Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time

by Michael Shermer
3.5 out of 5 stars (22)  £9.09
Inevitable Illusions: How Mistakes of Reason Rule Our Mind

Inevitable Illusions: How Mistakes of Reason Rule Our Mind

by Massimo PiattelliPalmarini
3.8 out of 5 stars (6)  £8.99
› Explore similar items

Product details

Product Description

Product Description
When can we trust what we believe - that "teams and players have winning streaks", that "flattery works", or that "the more people who agree, the more likely they are to be right" - and when are such beliefs suspect? Thomas Gilovich offers a guide to the fallacy of the obvious in everyday life. Illustrating his points with examples, and supporting them with the latest research findings, he documents the cognitive, social and motivational processes that distort our thoughts, beliefs, judgements and decisions. In a rapidly changing world, the biases and stereotypes that help us process an overload of complex information inevitably distort what we would like to believe is reality. Awareness of our propensity to make these systematic errors, Gilovich argues, is the first step to more effective analysis and action.

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(2)
(2)
(2)
See all 5 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

How We Know What isn't So: Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life
73% buy the item featured on this page:
How We Know What isn't So: Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life 5.0 out of 5 stars (5)
£9.09
Irrationality
12% buy
Irrationality 4.2 out of 5 stars (27)
£6.99
Bad Science
7% buy
Bad Science 4.6 out of 5 stars (146)
£3.60
Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives
6% buy
Quirkology: The Curious Science of Everyday Lives 4.4 out of 5 stars (28)
£4.79
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

5 Reviews
5 star:
 (5)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
53 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars If only I had read it years ago!, 27 Mar 2001
By A Customer
I can scarcely recommend this book highly enough to anyone interest in widespread errors of reasoning. Working in the same branch of social science as Thaler, Tversky and Kahneman, the author manages to explain very clearly how we fall into reasoning traps, probably because of the environment in which our brains evolved.

Although Gilovich's case studies are interesting (belief in ESP, and belief in extreme forms of "alternative" medicine), it's the theoretic part of the book which really stands out as being of benefit to the reader. Anyone who reads a newspaper, watches the television news, votes or invests in the financial markets ought to take the time to read this book.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating stuff, 20 Jun 2007
I've been bumbling around in the area of behavioural economics/finance for a bit as it has some bearing on my day job. As a result I have developed a geeky interest in the area of mistakes in reasoning, biases etc. The book is a really good introduction to the area and very clearly-written.

It basically gives you a much better insight into some of the things you have probably already noticed (for example, people only seem to notice/value information that confirms what they already think). Aside from the fact that it's a genuinely fascinating area, you might also glean some information that actually helps you in the real world. I was struck by the point that partners tend to notice when their other half does (or doesn't do) something, that causes them pain, but not when the reverse. Hence I will notice if the Mrs doesn't stack the dishwasher, because it annoys me, but won't register when she does do it, so I will tend to take from this that she "never" stacks the dishwasher.

Usefully it also takes the insights from wonky reasoning and applies them to "questionable" beliefs - ESP, 'alternative medicine' etc. And you might learn a bit more about how to tell a good story!

Definitely worth a read. The other book recommended alongside this - Inevitable Illusions - is less good, but also worth a look. It gets into the interesting area of probability (and how bad we are at estimating and understanding it).
Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Everybody should read this book!, 15 Oct 2003
By A Customer
In an age where science affects almost every aspect of modern life it is surprising that the number of people who believe "weird things" appears to be on the increase.

This book is an excellent guide on how to critically think about everything that you see and hear in your life. I found the authors section on confirmation bias very useful, as it shows how people almost always approach a subject from a biased view and try to GATHER information to SUPPORT that view without even realising they are being biased.

This book is very important for a contemporary culture that has many influential people, of all age ranges, and all levels of intelligence trying to make people believe the most mindboggling nonsense imaginable.

If you here a theory, it doesn't matter who says it, use your own intelligence to critically analyse it. And remember that many people, refuse to believe theories that are quite sound and by trying to sway public opinion, they attack the person saying the theory rather than looking at what they are saying; this is also known as a smear campaign.

This book is a great start for anyone looking for TRUTH in their life rather than clinging onto any belief like a comfort blanket.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fallacies and fables and other kinds of phooey all foiled!
In his introduction to this classic work on the fallibility of human reason in everyday life, Thomas Gilovich asks, "Why worry about erroneous beliefs? Read more
Published 9 months ago by Sphex

5.0 out of 5 stars YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS.
Maybe you think you know that when you believe something you only count the things that fit and discount the things that don't. Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2007 by Ian Cadman

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

›Shop the Powerball store

  

More From Thomas Gilovich

Why Smart People...

Why Smart People Make Big Money...

Why do so many otherwise rational individuals make irrational... Read more
£13.00

 

A Close Shave

Philips Nivea Coolskin HS8060 Moisturizing Rotary Shaving System
For all types of hair removal, stay smooth with Amazon.co.uk.

›Discover Shaving & Hair Removal

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates