Attaining Belief

Description
How our beliefs originate and are shaped over time.
1
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
by Daniel C. Dennett
3,166 members
40 reviews
3.8
2 Members
lbeaumont, aulsmith
2
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
by Jonathan Haidt
4,205 members
92 reviews
4.1
Member
lbeaumont
Explanations
lbeaumont: Genetics cause conservatives to hold different values than liberals.
3
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
by Robert B. Cialdini
5,071 members
59 reviews
4.2
Member
lbeaumont
4
Feet of clay : saints, sinners, and madmen : a study of gurus
by Anthony Storr
245 members
4 reviews
½ 3.5
Member
aulsmith
Explanations
aulsmith: A long, intricate study of charismatic people who inspire belief and how they keep members in the fold
5
On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You're Not
by Robert Burton
524 members
10 reviews
½ 3.7
Member
lbeaumont
6
When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group That Predicted the Destruction of the World
by Leon Festinger
451 members
5 reviews
3.8
Member
aulsmith
Explanations
aulsmith: A sociologist looks at a UFO cult and what happens when the predicted UFO fails to show up.
7
Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History
by David Aaronovitch
612 members
33 reviews
½ 3.4
Member
aulsmith
Explanations
aulsmith: The last chapter looks at various explanations of why conspiracy theories abound. (All the other chapters are designed to get you to stop laughing at the crazy people and start to see that you might be part of the problem.
8
Leaving Truth
by Keith Sewell
2 members
1 review
4
Member
lbeaumont
9
Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast: The Evolutionary Origins of Belief
by Lewis Wolpert
388 members
8 reviews
½ 3.4
Member
lbeaumont
10
Conspiracy Theories and Other Dangerous Ideas
by Cass R. Sunstein
79 members
3 reviews
½ 3.5
Member
aulsmith
Explanations
aulsmith: The first chapter looks at some new data on the development of conspiracy theories and why people believe them.
11
Kidding Ourselves: The Hidden Power of Self-Deception
by Joseph T. Hallinan
94 members
22 reviews
½ 3.6
Member
lbeaumont
12
A Mind of Its Own: How Your Brain Distorts and Deceives
by Cordelia Fine
489 members
2 reviews
3.8
Member
lbeaumont
13
Wiser: Getting Beyond Groupthink to Make Groups Smarter
by Cass R. Sunstein
111 members
1 review
3.1
Member
lbeaumont
14
Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things
by Dan Ariely
184 members
3 reviews
4.1
Member
lbeaumont