Example of self deception

book by Robert Trivers

The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-Deception in Human Life (, Basic Books, ISBN&#;) by Robert Trivers is a book that examines the evolutionary explanations for deceit and self-deception. Trivers focuses primarily on humans but he includes examples from many other organisms as well.

Trivers' starting point is to illustrate that self-deception is something of an evolutionary puzzle.

Robert trivers self deception book In this foundational book, Robert Trivers seeks to answer one of the most provocative and consequential questions to face humanity- why do we lie to ourselves? Deception is everywhere in nature. And nowhere more so than in our own species. We humans are especially good at telling others less - or more - than the truth. Why, however, would organisms both seek out information and then act to destroy it?

While the evolutionary benefits to deceiving other organisms are obvious at first glance it seems highly counter-intuitive to think that it could ever be in the evolutionary interest of an organism to deceive itself.

In the book Trivers discusses the evolutionary reasons for animals engaging in self-deception. He provides numerous examples of this both at the individual level and at the societal level, eventually discussing examples of self-deception in the history of the United States and Israel.

The essence of his analysis is that "the primary reason we fool ourselves is to fool others". Humans are exceptionally good at picking up various verbal and physical cues (e.g., speech intonation, eye movements,) that indicate when another human is practicing deception.

Self deception band By signing up, I confirm that I'm over To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy. Skip to Content The Penguin Podcast is back! In Deceit and Self Deception Robert Trivers, whose work has been acclaimed by figures such as Richard Dawkins and Steven Pinker, looks at how and why we so often deceive ourselves. We lie to ourselves every day: about how well we drive, how much we're enjoying ourselves - even how good looking we are.

There are many situations such as playing "chicken" and seeing who will back down first, where it can actually benefit an organism to deceive itself, by so doing the organism can better deceive others.^[1][2]

Reception

Richard Dawkins greeted the book with great praise, saying:

This is a remarkable book, by a uniquely brilliant scientist.

Robert Trivers has a track record of producing highly original ideas, which have gone on to stimulate much research. His Darwinian theory of self-deception is arguably his most provocative and interesting idea so far. The book is enlivened by Trivers’ candid personal style, and is a pleasure to read.

Robert trivers self deception book leadership Populaire psychologie. Uitgever: Penguin Books Ltd. In Deceit and Self Deception Robert Trivers, whose work has been acclaimed by figures such as Richard Dawkins and Steven Pinker, looks at how and why we so often deceive ourselves. We lie to ourselves every day: about how well we drive, how much we're enjoying ourselves - even how good looking we are. In this ground-breaking book, Robert Trivers examines not only how we self-deceive, but also why, taking fascinating examples from aviation disasters, con artists, sexual betrayals and conflicts within families.

Strongly recommended.^[3]

Other reviewers were more moderate. John Horgan in the New York Times was mostly positive in his evaluation of the ideas and evidence that Trivers put forward but said of Trivers' writing style:

Trivers is not an elegant stylist like Dawkins, Wilson or Pinker.

His technical explanations can be murky, his political rants cartoonishly crude.^[4]

References