Belief: What It Means to Believe and Why Our Convictions Are So Compelling

Our beliefs underpin everything we know, or think we know, about the world. They influence and direct our every action, thought, emotion, and every response to our environment. In fact, many people throughout the ages question our very reality which, according to this excellent book, may be wise.
This book is extensive, a huge compilation of current understanding of the workings of the mind. The forward even recommends this as a general textbook for all psychology students as it connects so many of the studies and areas of interest in that broad field. But this book is written for every reader. It is not a typical textbook; it is engaging, full of illuminating stories, studies, and examples that are fascinating and sure to hold your interest and cement the content in your brain. Chapters explore how our perceptions and memories are extremely fallible. It addresses why people may believe as they do and why they may act in ways that make no rational sense. It covers topics like why psuedoscience or alternative medicine is so attractive, how placebos can actually effect healing, and other topics like hallucinations, superstitions, and so much more. The chapters build on each other, but you can also just jump into any chapter at any point and enjoy the excellent sub-topics; you will find surprises and challenges to your own worldview throughout. It is exciting and invigorating. While this book doesn’t demand you give up all belief – even if possible, that would be counterproductive– it does encourage you to examine carefully those you choose to keep.