- Hardcover: 302 pages
- Publisher: HarperOne (April 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0061452645
- ISBN-13: 978-0061452642
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 15.5 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 537,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Compared to some of the books of the same genre, which often seem to unravel into an angry rant against God/gods, this book is rational and scientific. Professor Hood's tone is gentle, endearing, and witty. He exposes and explains the evolutionary reasons for human superstition and religion, without any moral judgement, but with a lot of sense! I can't recommend highly enough to skeptics and believers alike.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
... for our openness to supernatural beliefs of all kinds, religious "psychic", or simply superstitious. Prof Hood develops his argument with repeated appeals to common experience and to experimental data.
The author, a professor of developmental psychology, relates these to the way our minds work, just as optical illusions are related to the way our visual cortex works. For example, from early in life, we regard physical objects as being moved by mental forces. That is the way we inevitably continue to feel about our own bodies, even if philosophically we know that this is absurd. Hence the supernatural belief that events must have a "why" as well as a "how".
This is only one of several important ideas developed here, but I won't go into more detail for fear of spoiling your pleasure in reading this book. Whether you are a believer or an unbeliever is not going to be changed by reading this book, nor is that the intention, but what will be changed is your degree of insight into your own mind and the minds of others.
The author, a professor of developmental psychology, relates these to the way our minds work, just as optical illusions are related to the way our visual cortex works. For example, from early in life, we regard physical objects as being moved by mental forces. That is the way we inevitably continue to feel about our own bodies, even if philosophically we know that this is absurd. Hence the supernatural belief that events must have a "why" as well as a "how".
This is only one of several important ideas developed here, but I won't go into more detail for fear of spoiling your pleasure in reading this book. Whether you are a believer or an unbeliever is not going to be changed by reading this book, nor is that the intention, but what will be changed is your degree of insight into your own mind and the minds of others.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fascinating book I really enjoyed it! It is quite a page turner from Chapter 1 but could also be dipped into for witty anecdotes throughout. There is no need to be a scientist as it is aimed at the general public and if you have an interest in why humans behave in the way they do, particularly around the superstitious and religion, then you will definitely want to read this book. I found it a very balanced view and smoothly written with excellent examples. A fascinating and accessible book that ought to be a best seller!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A lack of insight
Like a lot of psychology, this book is befuddled. There has never been a clear demarcation link between philosophy and pscyhology and I wish this blurr could be properly... Read more
Published 9 days ago by Vincent Van Wyk
A brilliant read for anyone who's interested
The book was a very informative and educational read with lots of new information, even to someone who has read a lot of books about the paranormal and parapsychology. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Joey
A most unjudgemental, unfundamentalist, atheism
I found this a most absorbing read, particularly because though I agreed with the rationale behind much of it I did also find myself arguing, enjoyably rather than angrily, as... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Lady Fancifull
Fascinating unputdownable and 'essential' magical read
Loved this book and brilliantly argued and wonderful introduction to human 'magical thinking' which 'makes you think!!!! Read more
Published 5 months ago by L. Farrell
Excellent service.
The book didn't take quite as long to come come from Canada as I'd expected. A very good price for a brand new hard back
Published 18 months ago by MR T ROBERTS
interesting but...
I'm not going to go into a great depth here - overall this book is written in a friendly and nice manner,
but there are a couple of things which had caught my eye:... Read more
but there are a couple of things which had caught my eye:... Read more
Published 19 months ago by bookwormkin
The rationale behind intuitive thinking
I don't know why sceptics/scientists have to be congratulated for their indulgence by the author in the introduction for "reading this far" because I consider this to be a... Read more
Published on 28 April 2010 by SAP
The sense there is something more to reality
William James thought it natural to think that there was more to reality, something unknown, unseen and unmeasurable, in other words something beyond natural explanations: the... Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2009 by Sphex
A must read book. Hats off to Bruce Hood!!
I purchased this book this couple of days back, and since then I have never looked back, I am almost coming to the end of a remarkable and informative journey. Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2009 by H. Goswami
Promises much but delivery a bit thin
I heard Bruce Hood talking on Radio 4 and was sufficiently interested in what he had to say to buy his book - after all, a popular science writer engaging on the question of *why*... Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2009 by O. Buxton
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